Nirmal Purja achieved feat after climbing 8,126m Nanga Parbat in northern Pakistan
Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja has become the first person ever to complete 50 ascents of mountains above 8,000 meters (26,246 feet) after she summited the Nanga Parbat peak in northern Pakistan, a mountaineering association said on Sunday.
Of his 50 ascents, 22 were achieved without supplemental oxygen, a new world record, the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the country's official mountaineering association, said in a statement.
Also known as "killer mountain," the 8,126m (26,660 ft) Nanga Parbat is located in scenic Gilgit-Baltistan region and considered one of the world’s most dangerous peaks due to its treacherous terrain.
“This was the most dangerous climb of my life, battling fierce winds, blue ice, and rockfall,” Purja, also known as Nimsdai, said after the ascent.
Purja dedicated the climb to 200 years of friendship between Nepal and the UK, carrying a flag honoring his service in the Gurkhas and UK Special Forces.
Purja is already renowned for his 2019 record-breaking "Project Possible" when he scaled all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in just six months and six days, a feat captured in the Netflix documentary, 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible.
He was also part of the team that achieved the first winter ascent of K2 in 2021, summiting without oxygen.
He is now pursuing his “Hat-Trick Challenge” to climb all peaks above 8,000m and the Seven Summits for a third time, with proceeds supporting his foundation’s work.
"With his 50th 8,000-meter summit, Purja has solidified his legacy as one of the greatest mountaineers in history," the statement said.
Beyond climbing, Purja founded the Nimsdai Foundation, supporting education, environmental projects, and mountain communities.
