Nirmal Purja is a Nepalese mountaineer and former British military serviceman, known for high-altitude speed climbing and winter expeditions on the world’s highest peaks.
Born on 25 July 1983, Purja served in the British Army with the Brigade of Gurkhas and later the Special Boat Service before turning to professional mountaineering. In 2019 he climbed all 14 eight-thousanders — the peaks above 8,000 metres — in six months and six days with supplemental oxygen, setting a record that stood until 2023. He became the first person to summit Everest, Lhotse and Makalu within 48 hours. In 2021 Purja was part of a ten-member Nepalese team that completed the first winter ascent of K2, the world’s second-highest mountain and one of the most dangerous climbs attempted in that season.
His achievements have drawn attention to the skill and endurance of Nepalese climbers in extreme alpine environments, and to the human limits of performance at altitude.
