Two teams are contesting the upcoming Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) elections, scheduled for Saturday. The NMA, a key body representing Nepal's mountain tourism sector, will elect 18 executive members, including six office bearers.

Kul Prasad Gurung, former NMA general secretary, is running for president, while veteran tourism entrepreneur Phurba Gyaltsen Sherpa leads the opposing team. Gurung hails from Dhading’s Ruby Valley, a district known for producing many tourism entrepreneurs. Phurba is from the Khumbu region, home to Everest and many of Nepal’s iconic peaks, and runs Heli Everest.

Both teams have assembled diverse slates of climbers, guides, and tourism professionals from across the country to project inclusivity. Their agendas overlap: promoting tourism, preserving the mountains, and improving welfare for climbers and high-altitude workers.

Among the standout candidates is Mingma Gyabu Sherpa—also known globally as Mingma David Sherpa—who is running for First Vice President on Gurung’s team. A record-setting mountaineer and co-owner of Elite Exped, an expedition company, Mingma brings over 15 years of experience, including multiple world records and high-altitude rescues.

“I started out as a porter and now co-own an expedition company,” Mingma says. “I’ve been promoting Nepal’s mountaineering globally and believe I can contribute more from inside the institution.”

He has already served as an NMA executive member and says he understands both its strengths and limitations. “Many of the things I want to improve—I’ve already been working on from the outside.”

Mingma has summited 8,000-meter peaks 35 times, including Everest and Manaslu nine times each, and K2 six times. He was part of the historic first winter ascent of K2 in 2021, where ten Nepali climbers summited together, singing the national anthem—a first in K2’s history, a unique demonstration of unity.

His campaign focuses on : regulating mountaineering practices, developing skilled manpower, and strengthening rescue operations. He emphasizes the need for systemic reforms and modern technology to improve safety and sustainability.

“There’s no tradition of investing in climbers anymore. If we don’t train them, we won’t have qualified guides in the future,” he warns.

Born in Taplejung’s Phaktanglung Rural Municipality, Mingma began his career as a porter and kitchen helper at Manaslu base camp in 2009. He trained in climbing and rescue, joining major expeditions across Nepal, China, and the Karakoram.

He survived both the 2014 Khumbu Icefall avalanche and the 2015 Everest Base Camp disaster, taking part in rescue and relief efforts in their aftermath. He’s led over 100 rescues, including the world’s highest long-line operation at 7,400m on Annapurna.

As an NMA committee member, he witnessed industry gaps in safety, rescue, and environmental protection. He’s led clean-up campaigns in both Nepal and Pakistan and is vocal about the waste crisis on Everest.

In 2018, Mingma co-founded Elite Exped with Nimsdai Purja. The company supported the record-breaking “Project Possible” and promotes adventure tourism globally. Mingma also contributed significantly to the viral Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, capturing 80% of the high-altitude footage.

He believes NMA must evolve from a symbolic institution to a proactive force shaping Nepal’s mountaineering future.

“I’m not running just to hold a position—I’m here to work,” Mingma says. “We need leadership that understands the mountains, because only then can we protect them.”

The slate of candidates from the Kul Bahadur team includes Tika Ram Gurung for Senior Vice President, Mingma Gyabu Sherpa for First Vice President, Dhan Bahadur Gurung for Second Vice President, Bimal Kumar Naharki for General Secretary, Nima Dickey Sherpa for Secretary, and Sumi Lama for Treasurer. The candidates for executive committee members from this team are Pushkar Shah, Bal Bahadur Suyal, Hari Gopal Pradhan, Madhav Prasad Pande, Diki Sherpa, Sudas Lama, Lal Bahadur Jirel, Nurbhu Chhiring Sherpa Lama, Pasang Sherpa, Gita Rai, and Ashok Tamang.

Similarly, the team led by Phurba has fielded Ishwari Poudel for Senior Vice President, Kaji Sherpa for First Vice President, Bodh Raj Bhandari for Second Vice President, Rajendra Bahadur Lama for General Secretary, Chandan Thapa for Secretary, and Ngima Nurbu Sherpa for Treasurer. The candidates for executive committee members from Phurba's team include Madhav Kumar Dhamala, Kedar Neupane, Thupden Sherpa, Gokul Thapa, Mulal Gurung, Dendi Sherpa, Bikram Karki, Rinje Sherpa, Devendra Dangol, Dolma Lama, and Nisha Bhote.