India Abroad , May 30, 1997

Kathmandu (Reuters) -- Tashi Tenzing reached the top of Mount Everest on May 23, days before the 44th anniversary of the conquest of the world's highest peak by his grandfather Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary.

Nepal's Tourism Ministry said as many as 22 mountaineers scaled the 29,028-foot Everest on May 23, the most to make it to the peak on any single day since 40 climbers reached the summit on May 10, 1993.

Tenzing, 32, is a travel agent who lives in Sydney. His grandfather died in May 1986.

The latest summiteers takes the total of successful Everest climbers this spring from nepal to 35. Two people have died this spring on the Nepali side of Everest and five have died on the Tibetan side.