KATHMANDU — The global mountaineering community is in profound shock following the tragic death of world-renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, popularly known as “Nims Dai,” who died in an avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak. His climbing company, Elite Exped, officially confirmed the tragedy on Saturday.

Purja, who famously popularized the slogan “Nothing Is Impossible,” was leading a 10-member team when they were struck by a massive avalanche on Thursday on the 8,047-meter-high Broad Peak. Trusted companions and guides Pur Bahadur Gurung (Yukta) and Nima Sherpa also lost their lives in the accident.

Born in the remote village of Dana in the Myagdi district and raised in Chitwan, Purja’s early life laid the foundation for an extraordinary career of resilience and adventure:

• Military Career: In 2003, at age 18, he joined the British Gurkha Army. After six years in the Gurkha Rifles, he made history as the first Nepali to join the Special Boat Service (SBS), an elite special forces unit of the British Royal Navy.
• Service & Honors: He spent 16 years serving in dangerous conflict zones like Afghanistan. In recognition of his exceptional military service, Queen Elizabeth II honored him with an MBE in 2018.

Driven by an unyielding passion for the mountains, Purja left his military career in 2018 to pursue mountaineering full-time. In 2019, Purja launched “Project Possible 14-7,” stunning the global adventure community by successfully summiting all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in just 6 months and 6 days—a feat that previously took climbers decades.

His journey was later immortalized in the acclaimed Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. Further cementing his legacy, in the winter of 2021, he led a historic 10-member team of Nepali climbers to achieve the first-ever winter ascent of K2, Pakistan’s legendary “Killer Mountain.”

Beyond personal milestones, Purja’s overarching mission was to elevate Nepali Sherpas and climbers—historically viewed as support staff—into prominent, global leadership roles within mountaineering.

Broad Peak, the 12th highest mountain in Pakistan’s Karakoram range, is notoriously hazardous. The avalanche struck the team around noon on Thursday. By Saturday, drone surveys and a rescue team led by Mingma Galje Sherpa (Mingma G) and Sirbaz Khan were deployed to locate the sighted bodies.

Elite Exped released an official statement on social media:

“It is with the deepest sorrow and heartbreaking pain that we confirm that Nirmal ‘Nimsdai’ Purja has lost his life in an avalanche on Broad Peak. We also express our condolences to his companions and guides Yukta and Nima Sherpa, who lost their lives in this tragedy.”

Though Nims Dai has been claimed by the snows of Broad Peak, the towering records he set and his guiding ethos that “Nothing is impossible” will continue to inspire generations of adventurers worldwide.