It is one of life's ironies. Babu Chiri fell to his death on the mountain he had summitted ten times while he was out taking pictures at Camp Two. Babu fell down a crevasse last Sunday. His funeral was held in Swayambhu on Thursday.

An unassuming man, Babu was much more than a Sherpa in the quest for records. He climbed with a purpose-the funds raised from his exploits and his growing international fame were geared towards building schools in his native village of Taksendu in Solukhumbu. The 35-year-old father of six daughters always regretted not having had the chance to go to school.

Babu, who began his career as a 13 year-old porter, was inspired by French climber Mark Batard's attempt to spend eight hours on Everest in 1990. Babu's own attempt nine years later left the world gasping and will hold its own in mountaineering history for some time. Last year Babu set the world record for the fastest climb of Everest. Babu\'s bulky appearance often belied his immense stamina and endurance. He said last year that his proudest moment was the 21 hours he spent on top of the world.