KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 6
Former British Gurkha soldier and double-amputee Hari Budha Magar has been awarded the prestigious Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his contributions to disability awareness. An ambassador for the Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT), Budha Magar has also received the Inspiration Award at the Soldiering On Awards 2024 through a public vote.
Budha Magar, 43, made history as the world's first double above-the-knee amputee to successfully climb Mount Everest. His ascent on May 19, 2023, under the "Conquering Dreams" expedition, aimed to raise awareness about disability and demonstrate that physical impairments need not be limiting. He achieved this feat using specially engineered short prosthetic legs.
Born and raised in the remote village of Thawang in Rolpa, Budha Magar lost both his legs in April 2010 while serving alongside Prince Harry in the British Army. He is currently living in Canterbury in Kent, UK.
In a previous interview with THT, Budha Magar expressed his aspiration to inspire others, not just those with physical injuries, but to showcase the courage and determination of people living with disabilities.
Budha Magar also played a pivotal role in challenging discriminatory mountaineering rules introduced by the Nepali government in 2017. The rules prohibited blind, double-amputee, and solo climbers from scaling peaks, including Everest. Filing a case against the ban, Budha Magar succeeded in having the Supreme Court vacate the rule in 2018.
Upon receiving the MBE, Budha Magar said "I told her (the Princess Royal) that I am climbing the seven summits. She couldn't speak for a while."
