KATHMANDU, JULY 19
Facing a backlash from the world's mountaineering community, celebrated climber Nirmal 'Nims' Purja of Elite Exped has removed a controversial video of rope-slicing on Mt Everest from his social media accounts. Purja, who has been accused of sexual assault and harassment by at least two women, has also closed his clothing store in Thamel.
"The Thamel-based Nimsdai store is closed now," a senior executive, who has worked with Nims for over two years, told THT. Without sharing details, the executive said that Nims suddenly ordered the closure of the Nimsdai Thamel outlet. The move comes after popular brands like Scarpa, Grivel, and Osprey have already terminated their collaboration with Nims.
The British citizen, who allegedly evaded mountaineering royalties worth millions of rupees using a Nepali passport, was reported to have often charged hefty sums from his clients for purchasing gear and clothing from the Nimsdai store, according to a climber. "Nims used to bring climbing gear and clothes from Europe for his outlets without paying taxes to the government," the climber claimed.
After closing the Thamel outlet, Nims also removed the controversial video clips that he had posted about Mt. Everest from his social media. Nims had accused Sherpa climbers of slicing ropes in a video he posted on his social media, claiming that ropes along the Everest summit above the balcony area were cut to prevent him from making the summit. His video quickly went viral, drawing immediate but critical reactions from the world's mountaineering community about Everest climbing and rope fixing Sherpas.
The Department of Tourism has already recommended stern action against Nims for his wrongdoings on Mt. Everest, and the climber has also faced criticisms from the global mountaineering community for circulating fake messages from the Everest high camp. "It seems that Nims removed the video clips from his social media to influence government officials who plan a legal action against him," an official at the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal, said.
According to the DoT, the new tourism minister will have to decide on any action against Nims. "It seems that he deliberately removed the video clips that tarnished Nepal's image from his social media," a DoT official commented.
The DoT has investigated several wrongdoings by Nims, including holding illegal training for Elite Exped climbers above Everest base camp, commandeering an illegal chopper flight to Camp II, and circulation a misleading video on rope slicing above the South Summit in the spring season, among others.
"Nirmal 'Nims' Purja of Elite Exped should be punished as per the clause 38(1) of Nepal's Tourism Act-1978, as he has flouted climbing rules while attempting to climb mountains in the Everest region this year," a detailed report submitted by the DoT to the ministry, said. "In case a mountaineering expedition team or its member commits any of the following acts, Government of Nepal may ban them from entering Nepal for a period up to five years or ban for mountaineering in Nepal for a period up to ten years," the clause 38(1) reads. The acts mentioned in the list include immoral conduct or behaviour whilst on mountaineering period as well as violation of the country's mountaineering Act and its related provisions.
Nims also made headlines in the past after claiming to have scaled all 14 peaks above 8,000m in just six months and six days in 2019. However, evidence shows that he never reached the main summit of Mt. Dhaulagiri or the true summit of Mt. Manaslu. He then rescaled Mt. Manaslu and Mt. Dhaulagiri in 2021 to reach the true summits and completed all 14 peaks in two years, five months, and 15 days.
Nims could not be reached for comment, and Elite Exped members declined to speak on the issue.
