Kathmandu, Sept. 10 -- If it was not for the Covid-19 pandemic, we would by now have found out the result of thelatest measurement of the world's highest mountain.

Yes, 8,848m (29,028ft) is widely accepted as the height of Mt Everest since 1955, even though the elevation of the summit has fluctuated by a dozen or so metres since then, depending on who is calculating.

Since previous measurements were by American, European or Indian surveyors, it has now become a matter of national pride for Nepal and China to jointly come up with their own figure for theimposing peak that lies on their border.

The height of Mt Everest has changed with advances in survey technology. The Great Trigonometric Survey Of India in 1856 declared Mt Everest as t...