Pemba Dorjie is a Sherpa who, as of 2004, holds the world record for the quickest climb of Mount Everest. On May 23, 2003, he reached the peak in 12 hours and 46 minutes. Lhakpa Gelu beat his record three days later, reaching the peak in 10 hours and 46 minutes. Their competition led to some time spent by Nepali authorities to confirm each man's record. On May 21, 2004, Dorjie beat that record by more than two hours, with a total time of 8 hours and 10 minutes. His climb is considered one of the greatest feats in mountaineering, though some other Sherpa climbers believed the record to be false until it was confirmed later in 2004.
In November 2010, Dorjie's son Tseten Sherpa was attempting to secure permission to become the youngest person ever to reach Everest's summit after Dorjie sought a Nepali child to break Jordan Romero's record. It is not Pemba Dorjie - but Pemba Dorjee - who set another world record, being one of the first two people to marry on top of Mount Everest, marrying Moni Mulepati.