Legendary mountaineer Nirmal ‘Nimsdai’ Purja killed in Broad Peak avalanche

Legendary mountaineer Nirmal ‘Nimsdai’ Purja died in an avalanche on Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain, according to an Instagram post shared by the adventure company founded by the Nepali-born climber and others on Saturday (August 1).

Purja and five other climbers had been missing since Friday after they were caught in the avalanche.

Also read | Broad Peak avalanche in Pakistan: Four bodies found, six climbers still missing

“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

Legacy that inspires millions

“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.

“The world has lost one of mountaineering's greatest climbers; a leader who inspired millions through his courage, humility and unwavering belief that human potential is far greater than we often imagine. Through his actions, he inspired millions of people to believe that they too, could achieve more than they ever thought possible,” Elite Exped said.

“His vision, leadership and determination built Elite Exped, Nimsdai Foundation, Skydive Nimsdai and Nimsdai Store into what they are today. His legacy will live on in the countless lives he changed and the people he inspired to climb their own mountains,” it said.

Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah paid tribute to the mountaineering legend and five other Nepali climbers, saying that mountaineering was not “merely about reaching a summit but represented courage, discipline, sacrifice and the determination to push human limits.”

“Mountains give many climbers the glory of reaching their summits, but sometimes they also embrace them forever. Yet mountaineers, through their courage and dedication, remain immortal in history,” he wrote on Facebook.

A legendary climbing career

Known around the world as Nimsdai, Purja, 43, was one of the most accomplished mountaineers of his generation. He rose to international prominence in 2019 after climbing all 14 of the world’s peaks above 8,000 metres in just over six months.

The achievement broke the previous record set by South Korean climber Kim Chang-ho, who had completed the same feat over a period of seven years. Purja's extraordinary challenge was later documented in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.

In 2021, he was part of a 10-member Nepali team that made the first successful winter ascent of K2.

The list of Purja’s achievements also includes the fastest summits of the world's three highest mountains—Everest, K2 and Kanchenjunga—and being among the first mountaineers to summit K2 during winter in January 2021.

Born in the plains, dreamt of army life

However, for the highly skilled mountaineer that he was, Purja didn’t grow up in the shadow of the Himalayas. He was born on July 25, 1983, in Myagdi district of Gandaki Province but raised in Chitwan in the country’s flatlands.

Also read | Renowned Nepalese climber Purja among 6 still missing after Pakistan avalanche; 4 bodies recovered

According to his own website, although he performed well at school, there was no yearning to climb mountains, instead he wanted to become a Gurkha in the British military like his father and brothers before him.

And he did serve in the British military for 16 years. He first joined the Brigade of Gurkhas and later became a member of the Special Boat Service, the Royal Navy's elite special forces unit. In 2018, he was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of his military service.

According to the Nimsdai Foundation, which works to support mountain communities in Nepal, Purja’s passion for mountaineering truly began after a trek to Everest Base Camp in 2012, an experience that “fired his passion and ambition for the mountains.”

That journey marked the start of an extraordinary career in the mountains, one that eventually established him as one of the world’s most recognisable high-altitude climbers.

Purja chronicled his feat of scaling the world’s 14 “death zone” peaks in record time in the book, Beyond Possible: One Soldier, Fourteen Peaks – My Life in the Death Zone. He was also the subject of the November 2021 Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, which followed his team’s attempt to climb all 14 eight-thousanders in what was then a record time of under seven months.

About Broad Peak

Broad Peak, standing at 8,051 metres, is the world's 12th-highest mountain. Situated in the Karakoram range near K2 in what is Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), it is regarded as one of the most challenging mountains to climb.

“Broad Peak, I ask for nothing but safe passage up and back down. I take zero mountains for granted. Not one,” Purja posted on his X account three days before he went missing.

The first successful ascent of Broad Peak was made in June 1957 by Fritz Wintersteller, Marcus Schmuck, Kurt Diemberger and Hermann Buhl, all members of an Austrian expedition.

The name “Broad Peak” was given by British explorer Martin Conway in 1892, who drew inspiration from the similarly named Breithorn in the Alps.

Although Broad Peak is sometimes referred to as Falchan Kangri, the name is not widely used by the local Balti community.

Purja was about to complete his mission of climbing all 14 eight-thousanders twice after completing the Broad Peak. But that was not to be.