KATHMANDU, Aug. 1: Nepali Congress (NC) President Gagan Thapa has paid tribute to world record-holding mountaineer Nirmal "Nimsdai" Purja and the nine other climbers who lost their lives in the Broad Peak avalanche in Pakistan, saying Purja transformed the world's perception of Nepali mountaineers.
In a social media post on Saturday, Thapa said he was devastated by the tragedy and recalled meeting Purja before his record-breaking "Project Possible" expedition in 2019. "Nims, I met you before Project Possible, before the world knew your name, and before you changed what people believed was possible in the mountains," Thapa wrote. "I truly believed you would find a way back, just as you always had."
PM Balen pays tribute to Nirmal Purja, fellow climbers killed i...
He said Purja's greatest contribution extended far beyond his extraordinary mountaineering achievements. "More than the records, your greatest contribution was changing the world's perception of Nepali mountaineers," Thapa wrote. "You showed that Nepalis are not just the strength behind expeditions, but leaders, pioneers and innovators who can redefine the future of mountaineering. Your legacy will inspire generations."
Thapa also paid tribute to the other climbers who perished in the avalanche, remembering Pur Bahadur "Yukta" Gurung, Kili Pemba "Kilu" Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa, Gyalu Sherpa, Sohail Sakhi, Mallory Geis, Nadhira Al Harthy and Wang Zhong. "Behind every name is a life of courage, sacrifice, dreams, and loved ones waiting at home," he said.
Expressing his condolences, Thapa extended his sympathies to the bereaved families, friends and the global mountaineering community. "My deepest condolences to all the families, friends, and the entire mountaineering community. Rest in peace. You will all be remembered," he wrote.
Purja, internationally known as "Nimsdai," died after an avalanche struck Broad Peak, the 8,047-meter mountain in Pakistan's Karakoram range, on Thursday. He was leading an expedition when the avalanche occurred. Elite Exped, the expedition company he founded, confirmed his death on Saturday.
