- Nirmal Purja was a legendary mountaineer and former UK Special Boat Service soldier
- He climbed all 14 peaks above 8,000m in six months in 2019, setting a record
- Purja pioneered high-altitude rescues and founded the Nimsdai Foundation in Nepal
Legendary mountaineer Nirmal "Nimsdai" Purja, who died after an avalanche struck Broad Peak, the world's 12th-highest mountain, lived a life that was extraordinary long before he became one of the greatest climbers of his generation.
Born in Nepal's Dhaulagiri region, Nimsdai had a distinguished 16-year military career, spending six years in the elite Gorkha regiment, and ten years in the United Kingdom's elite Special Boat Service (SBS). In 2009, he became the first Gurkha to join the SBS, one of Britain's most secretive and highly trained special forces units.
An 18-year-old Nims proudly joins the Gurkhas in 2003. Photo Credit: nimsdai.com
Along with the Special Air Service (SAS), the SBS forms the UK's Tier 1 special forces. The unit is primarily made up of Royal Marines Commandos and specialises in covert operations, counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, reconnaissance and classified missions in some of the world's most hostile environments.
During his time with the SBS, Purja developed expertise in extreme cold weather warfare and served as the subject matter expert within the unit's mountain cell. The role demanded rapid decision-making under immense pressure, balancing mission objectives with the safety of others, skills that would later define his mountaineering career.
Photo Credit: Instagram/Nimsdai
Purja's passion for climbing began in 2012 during a trek to Everest Base Camp while on leave from military service. The trek inspired him to learn technical climbing, and he soon summited the 6,119-metre Lobuche East, his first mountain.
It did not take long for him to recognise a natural edge. He could ascend and adapt to high altitudes with remarkable speed, outpacing many experienced mountaineers.
Photo Credit: Image Credit: nimsdai.com
On his first ascent of Mount Everest, Purja carried out a solo rescue of a stranded climber high in the "death zone". The experience prompted him to always climb with supplemental oxygen from higher camps so he would have the strength to assist others if needed.
In 2019, after leaving the SBS, he created history by climbing all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres in just six months and six days under his 'Project Possible' expedition, shattering one of the sport's most prestigious records and proving what many had dismissed as impossible.
Photo Credit: Instagram/Nimsdai
In 2021, he was part of a team of 10 Nepali climbers that made the first successful winter ascent of K2.
The Netflix documentary "14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible," turned Nims into the most recognisable figure in modern mountaineering, inspiring a wave of interest in high-altitude climbing.
Beyond speed records in climbing, Purja built a solid reputation in high-altitude rescues, including an operation that pulled a stranded climber from Annapurna at extreme altitude. Through his Nimsdai Foundation, Purja went on to fund humanitarian and education projects in Nepal.
Over the last few months, Nims had reportedly been pursuing an ambitious goal: becoming the first person to climb all fourteen 8,000-metre peaks twice, entirely without supplemental oxygen. He completed an oxygen-less ascent of Gasherbrum 2 on July 21, leaving only Broad Peak and Cho Oyu remaining to complete that milestone.
Photo Credit: Instagram/Nimsdai
Driven by his motto, "Always A Little Higher", Nirmal "Nimsdai" Purja inspired millions by proving that determination, preparation and teamwork could turn the impossible into reality.
Purja and five other climbers had been missing since Friday after an avalanche struck them.
"Today, it is with profound sadness and immense heartbreak that we confirm that Nirmal 'Nimsdai' Purja, tragically lost his life following the avalanche on Broad Peak. We have also received confirmation that other members of the expedition sadly did not survive," the company, Elite Exped, said in the post.
"Today, we mourn not only Nims, but every life lost in this tragedy including his trusted climbing partners and guides, Pur Bahadur Gurung (Yukta) and Nima Sherpa. Our deepest thoughts, prayers and heartfelt condolences are with their families, friends and loved ones. No words can ease the pain of this unimaginable loss, and we ask that everyone respects their privacy as they grieve," the company said.
Broad Peak is on the Karakoram mountain range, straddling the border between Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan and Xinjiang, China - just a few kilometres from K2 in what is Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The avalanche struck along Broad Peak's standard West Ridge route. This would be at an altitude between 21,600 and 21,850 feet.
