On July 30, an avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak took the lives of 10 mountaineers. This news saddened not just the mountaineering community and their families, but millions of people globally. For the past few days, my social media has been flooded with this news and with obituaries specifically for one man, the multi-world-record-winning mountaineer Nirmal Purja, or Nims Dai.
Many have shared their personal stories with Nims Dai and the bond they shared with him. Some have posted selfies or photos with the celebrated soldier-turned-mountaineer, stating how inspirational he has been to them.
However, there is a minority who is not satisfied with the praise and attention he is receiving and have mentioned his alleged sexual harassment cases, stating that the “man” is not separate from the “mountaineer” and that no one should blindly worship a person because of their achievements. I am not here to write about who is right or who is wrong; there is a court, police, and authorities to do that.
Although I don’t know him personally, I have been following him on social media, watched his documentary, read his memoir Beyond Possible, and some of the people I know have worked closely with him. Following all the social media posts and the conversations surrounding them did upset me, but rather than being grief-stricken, I wanted to share some of my perspectives through writing.
Nims Dai, from my vantage point, is not perfect or heroic; for me, he is a human being who achieved the impossible and inspired millions. His complicated personality has left behind not just a legacy, but also some important questions for society to answer. He has given us courage, but he has also left us confused.
Based on my experience of observing his life from a distance, I write about why Nims Dai matters for Nepal and for the world. Rather than claiming him as a hero that people are in dire need of, or demonizing him for some of his actions and negating his achievements, I write about him from my vantage point.
Beyond Possible
First, Nims Dai lived a full life; he died at the young age of 43. However, he achieved things that the majority of people will not even dream of in their lifetime. “Nothing is impossible” was the mantra of his life. Before him, climbing all the mountains within months was a distant dream for many.
However, he was the first mountaineer to publicly announce that he would climb all 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 meters in altitude in seven months. He lived by his words, and despite many hurdles along the way, he climbed all 14 eight-thousanders in six months. His exploration and adventures did not stop there. He showed what was humanly possible.
He was also the first person from the Gorkha regiment to join the Special Boat Service (SBS). He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2018 by Queen Elizabeth II for his exceptional high-altitude mountaineering achievements and distinguished military service in the British Armed Forces, including the Brigade of Gurkhas and the UK Special Forces (SBS). He also received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Loughborough University in the United Kingdom, in 2023.
His achievements are not just a matter of pride for Nepal, but also a significant message to the world that if you put your mind to something, you are capable of achieving it.
A soldier in the British Special Forces, a celebrated mountaineer, a published memoirist, the subject of a globally successful documentary, and an entrepreneur; he did it all with speed and style. In his memoir, he says, “For some reason, I had the physiology to climb and descend, climb and descend, fixing lines and leading expeditions over and over and over, with very little rest. My reserves felt limitless.” He was definitely built for the mountains physically, but his mindset was what sustained him.
Quitting is not in the blood
Second, his “mountain mindset” and his famous line, “Quitting is not in the blood, Sir,” were catchy and inspirational not just for mountaineers, but also for entrepreneurs, athletes, writers, and even students. Even though he faced challenges and there were several people who did not want to see him succeed, he made things happen anyway. He mentioned in one of his posts that 95 percent of the time, the people who do not want to see you succeed are your close friends.
It seemed that there were many factors discouraging him. In one of his speeches, he mentioned how challenging it was to work with the government of Nepal. Despite all these hurdles, he never gave up and worked toward his goals and larger-than-life projects.
Uniting Nepal, inspiring youth
I particularly remember him for the video in which he, along with his team, summited K2 in winter while singing the Nepali national anthem. He had posted on his social media: “Brother to brother, shoulder to shoulder, we walked together to the summit whilst singing the Nepali national anthem. We all stopped around 10m before reaching the summit to huddle and make our final steps together as a team to mark this historical feat, the first ascent of K2 in winter.”
Most people from around the world commented that it was the most beautiful thing they had seen on the internet. One record after another, Nims Dai was unstoppable. His achievements are not just a matter of pride for Nepal, but also a significant message to the world that if you put your mind to something, you are capable of achieving it. He believed in young people and their dreams when there were many naysayers.
Nims Dai, from my vantage point, is not perfect or heroic; for me, he is a human being who achieved the impossible and inspired millions. His complicated personality has left behind not just a legacy, but also some important questions for society to answer. He has given us courage, but he has also left us confused.
But no matter what I think or what anyone thinks, it is a fact that he has changed what people believed was possible in mountaineering and beyond.
(Abhilasha Rayamajhi is a teacher, writer, and researcher. She is the Writing Center Lead and Assistant Professor at King’s College Nepal.)
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