'Your legacy will live forever': Nepal mourns climber Nirmal Purja
Koh Ewe
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Students and staff at Purja's former school lit candles in commemoration of him
Tributes are pouring out across Nepal after an avalanche killed all 10 members of an expedition on Pakistan's Broad Peak, six of whom were Nepalese.
Among them was Nirmal Purja, also known as Nims, a British-Nepali climber most known for climbing the world's 14 tallest peaks in just over six months.
His death has sent shockwaves through the global mountaineering community and through Nepal, where he is a celebrated figure for giving a spotlight to Nepali climbing guides.
Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah was among those who paid tribute, saying his "history of courage, dedication and contribution will always remain inspiring".
In a moving tribute on Facebook, Purja's brother Kamal wrote: "I feel as though I have lost my whole world. My brother was not only my younger brother - he was my heart."
"Although our hearts are broken, we are incredibly proud of you. Your legacy will live forever," he added.
At the Small Heaven School in Chitwan district, near Kathmandu, which Purja had once attended, students and staff lit candles and mourned his death.
Sarbagya Paudel, one of the students at the vigil, said Purja's "bravery has set a great example for our school. Not only has he made our school proud, but he has also brought pride to Nepal".
Purja is still fondly remembered by those who had known him from his schooling days.Shailendra Baral, his school hostel supervisor, told AFP that as a young boy Purja had been "fearless and committed to achieving something".
"He was honest and an obedient student, which made us happy. We found courage in him even when he was a child."
Bahadur Panta, Purja's school friend, said he had prayed for the mountaineer through "sleepless nights" after news broke of his disappearance.
"It was not only me and my friends. I think people all over the world who knew him... prayed for him. But it was his fate, no one could avoid it," he told AFP.
Social media was also awash with tributes to Purja, with many saying that Nepal was in mourning and that the country had lost a "legend" and "many great climbers".
"Their legacy will live on," said one comment.
Purja was catapulted into international stardom after his journey was documented in a 2021 Netflix documentary.
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Bahadur Panta was a friend of Purja's in school
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He was among dozens that gathered at the Small Heaven school in Chitwan
Among his 10-member expedition on Broad Peak, there were six Nepali climbers. The other four climbers were from the US, China, Oman, Pakistan.
They had gone missing after being caught in an avalanche last Thursday on the 8,047m (26,400ft) peak.
Broad Peak is regarded as one of the more challenging mountains for climbers. The first successful ascent was in 1957, when an Austrian expedition reached the summit.
Since then, many more have climbed the mountain, but dozens have lost their lives.
Purja served in the British military for 16 years, 10 of which were spent in the special forces, and he was awarded an MBE by the late Queen in 2018 for his achievements in extreme high-altitude mountaineering.
Purja, who lived with his wife and three-year-old daughter in Hampshire in southern England, said he was also the first Gurkha to climb Everest while serving in the British military.
But as he became more famous, troubling allegations emerged about his conduct.
In 2024, a New York Times article detailed sexual allegations two women made against Purja. One alleged that he had sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in 2023 and another said he had grabbed and propositioned her while guiding her on an expedition to K2 in 2022. He denied these claims through his lawyer.
But while Purja may be the most recognisable face, he was not the only famed climber in the disaster-hit expedition on Broad Peak. The 10-member team also consisted of big names in Nepal's climbing community.
There was Pur Bahadur Gurung - also known as Yukta - who summitted Everest 10 times. In 2024, he was part of the team that discovered a century-old shoe on the world's tallest peak, believed to be that of British climber Andrew Irvine, who vanished on Everest with George Mallory in 1924.
"Standing with you on the summit of Mount Everest is a memory I will cherish forever," fellow mountaineer and guide Uttam Lapraki wrote in a tribute to Yukta on social media.
"The Himalayas have lost one of their finest sons, but your courage, kindness, and legacy will continue to inspire generations of climbers."
Another member of the team, Kili Pemba Sherpa, was part of a historic 2021 expedition that summitted K2, the world's second-highest peak, in winter. That expedition was made up of all Nepali climbers, including Purja.
Imagine Nepal, an expedition company where Kili Pemba worked as a guide, wrote on Instagram that he had "stood with us from the very beginning, from the days we first started climbing together".
"He was humble in every way and never tired of helping climbers when they needed him. He was a foundation of our team and a part of every summit we have ever celebrated."
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