Our History
As the presence of Sherpas in Kathmandu gradually increased over time, difficulties began to arise among the Sherpas in the conduct of rituals and ceremonies after death. As the Sherpas' financial situation was not particularly strong, they were forced to conduct all their migration, wedding ceremonies, and death rituals from their homes. In such a time of distress, the Sherpas were in a situation where they had to seek help from Ang Dorje Lama at Hotel Gauri Shankar in Thamel, in case of disaster. Ang Dorje's personal vehicle was used many times to transport Sherpas to the hospital when they fell ill and to the mountaintop when they died. With the thought that more difficulties would arise later if we remain silent and watch this and similar suffering, and if collective solutions to such problems are not found in time, he, with foresight, decided to establish a separate collective organization for the Sherpa castes, the Sherpa Service Center (then the Sagarmatha Service Center). He joined hands with some enthusiastic Sherpas, including Sonam Gyaljen Sherpa and Sonam Tshiring Sherpa, representing Solukhumbu district, to start the construction of this Sherpa Service Center.
Although it was named the Sagarmatha Service Center during its establishment as the then rulers prohibited the establishment of ethnic and communal centers, it was renamed the Sherpa Service Center after the restoration of democracy.
