Message from Mount Everest “Say No to Drugs”

By Subhasish Chakraborty

X: @the_news_21

Kolkata: Drugs and Mount Everest — the height of contradiction, isn’t it? One symbolizes darkness, doom, and despair. The other stands for triumph, positivity, and the heroic human spirit. Let’s be honest. In today’s world, summiting Mount Everest has become, for many, a symbol of pride, vanity, and ego.

I am reminded of Pablo Figueroa’s hard-hitting article titled “Vanity, Pollution and Death on Mt. Everest”, where he writes: “Ninety percent of contemporary Everest climbers are clients who want to ‘bag’ the top of Everest for selfish purposes. Rather than a noble pursuit, Everest is thought of as something that needs to be done at all costs, another item to check off in a long list of egoistic accomplishments.”

And yet, in the midst of this vanity-fuelled chaos, there are individuals who stand tall as guardians of the Himalayas’ fragile ecology, rich culture, and timeless traditions. One such icon is Nepal’s legendary mountaineer Ang Tshering Lama, who has not only summited Everest multiple times but also conducted the world’s highest-altitude rescue mission in 2017.

Today, a small group of indigenous Sherpa mountaineers like Ang are redefining what it means to climb. With a Sankalpa (vow), they use each summit to spread noble messages — whether it’s cleaning garbage on the slopes, raising awareness about global warming, human trafficking, human rights, or drug addiction.

I’ve known Ang since our school days in Assam, at the quaint Carmel Residential School in Tezpur. His commitment to preserving Sherpa culture is legendary. From leading rescue missions during the 2015 Nepal earthquake to rebuilding remote villages and guiding an all-widow team to Everest’s summit, his contributions are as philanthropic as they are courageous.

But among all his missions, one stands out for its sheer emotional and social impact: guiding a former drug addict, Wangda Sherpa, to the summit of Everest in May 2019, carrying a powerful banner: “Say No to Drugs.”

This was no ordinary summit. Wangda Sherpa’s transformation from a hard-core addict to a celebrated mountaineer is the stuff of legend — a tale more suited for the big screen than real life.

Born in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, Wangda lost his father early and was raised in Nepal by his mother, who struggled financially. Like many Sherpa youths, he trained to become a trekking guide. But somewhere along the way, he slipped into the dark underworld of drug addiction — heroin, Nitravet, synthetic pills. Rehab stints came and went, only to relapse again.

As Wangda recounts on his viral Facebook campaign “Walk with Wangda”, the turning point came one night in darkness and agony. “I thought I was dying. But I survived — and eighteen months later, I stood on the summit of Everest.”

All through this remarkable journey, Wangda leaned on one man: Ang Tshering Lama. With emotional strength and logistical support, Ang mentored him toward the summit. That summit wasn’t just about a peak — it was about a purpose.

Today, Wangda is more than a mountaineer. He’s a youth icon, a living inspiration, and a symbol of redemption. His CV reads like a Himalayan dream – Everest (8,848m), Stok Kangri (6,154m, Ladakh), Island Peak (6,194m), Mera Peak (6,476m), Baruntse (7,162m), Chulu East (6,584m), Lobuche (6,119m), Mount Elbrus (5,642m, Russia — twice).

Impressive? That’s an understatement.

In modern Nepal, where drug addiction has long been shrouded in stigma, Wangda’s story has forced open long-suppressed conversations. According to BBC News Kathmandu, Nepal — a postcard-perfect destination for global tourists — is now battling a rising tide of drug use among its youth.

“Drug traffickers are using the surge in tourism to mask trafficking routes, but even more worrying is the growing trend of domestic drug abuse,” the BBC reports. “From marijuana and hashish to synthetic drugs like diazepam and buprenorphine, and even heroin, the addiction curve is steep and alarming.”

Wangda, recognizing the limits of government intervention, is carving his own path to change. He now invites recovering addicts on therapeutic trekking expeditions, helping them rediscover life amid the Himalayas. “No judgments, no distractions — just the tunnel-vision focus that climbing requires,” Wangda says.

The meditative calm of the mountains, he believes, can heal in ways no rehab ever can. His work is backed by grassroots supporters who believe real change must come from the community.

Nepal’s Department of Drug Control notes, “More than 90% of drug addicts in Nepal started before the age of 16. Most fall between 16 and 20. Drug abuse is leading not just to addiction, but to HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, and other STDs.”

As a travel journalist, I’ve spent my life promoting Himalayan tourism. But the resurgence of drug culture in this beautiful nation has shocked me. I remember the 1970s, when Nepal became infamous as a hippie hub, synonymous with cheap hash and lost youth. It took decades to erase that image.

We cannot let history repeat itself.

That’s why Wangda’s mission matters. His voice matters. His story matters. And when he says — “Addicts deserve the same compassion we show cancer patients. Addiction is an illness, not a crime,” — you cannot help but nod in agreement.

More power to Wangda Sherpa — a beacon of hope for a generation. And heartfelt applause to Ang Tshering Lama, for turning every climb into a mission of meaning.

Info You Can Use:

Mission-Based Mountaineering Support Organizations and individuals interested in planning mission-specific climbs (anti-drug, environmental, human rights, etc.) on Everest or other 8000m peaks can connect with:

Ang’s Himalayan Adventures

A premier mountaineering company founded and run by Ang Tshering Lama, offering professional Sherpa teams, logistical expertise, and cause-driven summit planning.

Email: ang.himalayas@gmail.com

Phone: +977-1-4497192

P.O. Box: 1384, Kathmandu, Nepal

Website: www.angshimalayanadventures.com

About the Author – Subhasish Chakraborty is a Travel Journalist from West Bengal and can be contacted on Phone: +91-9051701534 or Email: subhas.chako@gmail.com