SATV, Kathmandu, Oct. 10: Himalayan Sports Management on Friday officially announced the ‘Everest Rugby Legacy 2027’, a project aimed at promoting rugby, youth leadership, women’s participation, cultural exchange, climate action and sustainable tourism in Nepal.
The project, launched in association with the Nepal Rugby Association, seeks to establish rugby as an emerging sport in the country while promoting Nepal as a destination for sports tourism.
Speaking at the launch event at Soaltee Hotel in Kathmandu, project manager Binod Tamang outlined three major objectives: setting a Guinness World Record for the longest rugby match, organising a rugby event at Everest Base Camp and positioning Nepal as a sports tourism hub. “It is not only a journey from Everest but from all seven provinces. It is going to be one rugby movement from the roof of the world,” he said.
According to the organisers, the project aims to set a new world record in the mixed category. The organisers cited the existing records for the longest rugby matches as 34 hours and 48 minutes in the men’s category and 26 hours and 33 minutes in the women’s category. The figures are yet to be independently verified.
Representatives of various school associations also attended the event, highlighting the importance of school-level participation in developing rugby at the grassroots.
Bhoj Raj Shrestha, extracurricular activities (ECA) coordinator of the Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation Nepal (PABSON), urged the Nepal Rugby Association and the project organisers to collaborate with schools to expand the sport’s reach.
“We have networks in 72 districts of Nepal. We wholeheartedly welcome such a brilliant initiative from both the private and government sectors,” he said.
Representatives of private school associations also called for collaboration with schools to establish a strong foundation for sports development. They urged Saral Sahayatri, Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning of Bagmati Province and chief guest at the event, to support such partnerships.
Nepal Sports Council Member Secretary Ram Charitra Mehta assured the organisers of the council’s technical and financial support to facilitate the project’s successful implementation.
“There may be some difficulties in policy, but through continuous cooperation and dedication, we can find common ground,” he said.
Mehta also suggested incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the project to align it with a broader international development framework.
The project aims to showcase Nepal’s Himalayan landscape through rugby while promoting mountain adventure, sustainable tourism, environmental awareness and international sporting collaboration. Meanwhile, the vice-president of the Nepal Sports Council’s Karnali Province office highlighted the history of rugby in Nepal, noting that the Nepal Rugby Association was first registered with the Nepal Sports Council in 1995. He also said Karnali Province was the first to host a provincial rugby competition.
“Our province is the most appropriate place to foster grassroots rugby, and this project will boost the prominence of the sport throughout the nation,” he said.
The project is scheduled to begin in Madhesh Province in late 2026 and culminate at Everest Base Camp in 2028. The organisers aim to set a new record through a T1 rugby match featuring a Nepali team and an international team in the Everest region.
