Nirmal Purja, also known as Nims Dai, is a Nepali mountaineer who has set numerous records in climbing the world’s highest peaks, known as the 8,000ers. In 2019, Purja completed the “BIG 14” by summiting all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters in just six months and six days. This was a significant improvement over the previous record of seven years and 310 days, set by South Korean climber Kim Chang-Ho in 2013. Purja used supplemental oxygen during his climbs, while Kim did not.
Purja’s achievement was part of his Project Possible, which aimed to inspire people to tap into their potential and show the world the strength of Nepalese climbers. The project consisted of three phases, with the first phase involving the ascent of six peaks in 30 days. During this phase, Purja and his team fixed the ropes to the summit of Annapurna. In the second phase, Purja climbed five peaks in the Karakoram region of Pakistan in just over three weeks.
Purja’s record-breaking climb in 2019 was documented in the Netflix film “14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible,” which highlights his unprecedented expeditions and the challenges he faced in achieving his goal. The film also features the record-breaking climbs of other mountaineers, including Kristin Harila, a Norwegian climber who completed the 14 peaks above 8,000 meters in just one year and five days in 2022. Harila reached all true summits, making her the new world record holder and the second woman to climb to the true summits of the 14 8,000-meter peaks.
Purja has continued to set new records in climbing the 8,000ers. In May 2022, he summited three higher 8,000m peaks – Everest, Lhotse and Kanchenjunga – in 8 days, 23 hours and 10 minutes without oxygen and completed the Everest to Lhotse traverse without oxygen in 26 hours.
On October 4, 2024, he summited Shishapangma, marking the completion of his ascent of all 14 of the world’s highest peaks (each over 8,000 meters) without the use of supplemental oxygen. This accomplishment made him the fastest climber to achieve this feat, completing it in just two years and five months
Purja’s journey has not only set new benchmarks in mountaineering but has also inspired many aspiring climbers globally.
