KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 21
Legendary climber Nirmal 'Nims' Purja has added another feather to his cap making the greatest number of successful summits over 8,000 meters in the history of extreme high-altitude mountaineering.
In a statement, Nims, a multiple record-holding climber, has said that he now holds the world record for the greatest number of summits over 8,000m – that's 41 out of 41.
After quitting a lucrative career with the British Army, Nims has started climbing mountains for a cause in 2019. "I am so humbled and proud to say that I came into the mountains in 2019, it took so much to achieve this in such a short time," he said.
As Nims' documentary '14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible' has attracted the world's climbing fraternity to Nepali mountains, the climber said that he came from nothing but gave his everything for it, sacrificing time away from his family and loved ones to focus on his goals.
"I spend 11 months of the year away guiding, and I haven't even counted the number of smaller peaks like Kilimanjaro , Aconcagua, Amadablam, Vinson and Denali in that total. It's been three years of non-stop hard work and dedication to get here," Nims added.
Nims said that he has always aimed to raise the name of the big mountain communities and Sherpas. "I believe we are one big mountain community and should raise each other up," he said, adding that he always wanted to bring positivity, and helped others achieve their goals.
While making 41 summits in a short span of time, Nims climbed Mt Everest eight times, Mt K2 four times including the first winter ascent in 2021 and Mt Lhotse for the fifth time. Nims has already completed 12 mountains above 8000m without using supplemental oxygen in less than two years.
Nims also holds a record for the fastest double higher 8000ers without oxygen - Everest and Lhotse – in 25 hours and 1 minute. Some of his records include fastest triple higher 8000ers without oxygen -Everest, Lhotse, and Kanchenjunga - in 8 days, fastest top three 8000ers without oxygen - Everest, K2, Kanchenjunga in 75 Days as well as first and fastest to climb Everest and Lhotse twice in a single season
Nims also made the fastest ascent of five peaks - Nanga Parbat, K2, Broad Peak, G1, G2 - without using supplemental oxygen in just 26 days. "I am not stopping here - we continue on to the next mountain and next goal," Nims quipeed.
Records also show that Nims made the most 8000ers in a single season - Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Kanchenjunga, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu - in 31 days. Among others, Nims also made the fastest ascent of the top five highest mountains of the world - Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, K2, Kanchenjunga - in just 70 days.
