Nirmal Purja Biography – Nirmal Purja also famous as Nims or Nimsdai. He is an Nepalese mountaineer, former British Army Gurkha and former Special Boat Service (SBS) soldier.
He is famous for climbing all 14 mountains above 8,000 meters in just 189 days in year 2019.
He served in the British Army and later joined the Special Boat Service before becoming a mountaineer. He is one of the United Kingdom elite special forces units.
Purja is widely famous for his strength, determination and leadership in high altitude climbing. His achievements have made him one of the most famous mountaineers in the world.
Nirmal Purja Biography
Nirmal Purja, also known as Nims or Nimsdai, is a Nepalese mountaineer. He was born on 25 July 1983 in Nepal.
Before becoming a professional mountaineer, he served in the British Army with the Brigade of Gurkhas. He later joined the Special Boat Service (SBS), the special forces unit of the Royal Navy.
Purja became world famous for climbing all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters in just six months and six days in 2019.
At the time, this was the fastest anyone had completed the challenge. The record was later broken in 2023. He was also the first person to climb Mount Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu within 48 hours.
In 2021, Purja and a team of nine other Nepalese climbers completed the first winter ascent of K2, one of the world’s most difficult mountains.
On July 30, 2026, Purja and nine other climbers were reported missing after an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Nirmal Purja MBE |
| Also Known As | Nims, Nimsdai |
| Date of Birth | July 25, 1983 |
| Birthplace | Dana, Myagdi District, Nepal |
| Nationality | Nepalese |
| Profession | Mountaineer, Former British Army Gurkha, Former SBS Soldier |
| Known For | Climbing all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters in 189 days (2019) |
Nirmal Purja Family
Nirmal Purja grew up in a humble and poor family in Nepal. He is the youngest of four sons. His father served as a Gurkha soldier, while his mother came from a farming family.
His three older brothers also became Gurkha soldiers and helped pay for his education. Purja has often spoken about the financial struggles his family faced during his childhood.
He has been married to Suchi Purja since 2006. Suchi is the daughter of a Gurkha soldier.
She has supported Nirmal throughout his mountaineering career and has stood by him during many of his major expeditions.
The couple lives in Hampshire, England.
| Family Member | Details |
|---|---|
| Father | Former Gurkha soldier |
| Mother | From a farming family |
| Siblings | Three older brothers |
| Wife | Suchi Purja (married in 2006) |
| Residence | Hampshire, England |
Nirmal Purja Military Career
Nirmal Purja joined the Brigade of Gurkhas in 2003. In 2009, he was accepted into the Special Boat Service (SBS) of the Royal Navy.
He became the first Gurkha to join this elite British special forces unit. During his service, he worked as a cold-weather warfare specialist.
Because of Ministry of Defence regulations, Purja cannot discuss the details of his missions. However, he has said that he served in all major conflict zones where Britain was involved.
He also revealed that he was wounded during service when a sniper’s bullet struck the butt of his rifle, narrowly missing his neck.
In 2018, Purja received an invitation to join the Special Air Service (SAS). He declined the offer and resigned from the SBS as a Lance Corporal.
He left the military to focus on high-altitude mountaineering full-time. His decision meant giving up a valuable military pension, which he described as life-changing.
Even so, he chose to follow his dream of becoming a professional mountaineer.
| Career Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Joined Brigade of Gurkhas | 2003 |
| Joined Special Boat Service (SBS) | 2009 |
| Historic Achievement | First Gurkha to join the SBS |
| Military Role | Cold-weather warfare specialist |
| Left Military | 2018 to become a full-time mountaineer |
| Special Note | Declined an invitation to join the SAS |
Nirmal Purja Climbing Career
Nirmal Purja began his mountaineering journey in 2012. His first major Himalayan climb was Lobuche East.
He reached the summit even though he had no previous mountaineering experience. On May 18, 2014, he climbed Dhaulagiri (8,167 meters).
This was his first summit of a mountain over 8,000 meters. He completed the entire expedition in just 15 days.
On May 13, 2016, Purja successfully climbed Mount Everest. It was the second 8,000-meter peak of his career.
On May 15, 2017, he led the G200E Gurkha Expedition to the summit of Mount Everest. The expedition included 13 Gurkha climbers and celebrated 200 years of Gurkha service in the British Army.
Purja has climbed Mount Everest six times. His third ascent was on May 27, 2017. His fourth ascent was on May 22, 2019.
His fifth ascent was on May 31, 2021. His sixth ascent was on May 15, 2022. These achievements helps him to establish him as one of the world leading high altitude mountaineers.
| Achievement | Details |
|---|---|
| Started Mountaineering | 2012 |
| First 8,000-meter Summit | Dhaulagiri (2014) |
| First Mount Everest Summit | May 13, 2016 |
| Everest Summits | Six successful ascents |
| 2019 Record | Climbed all 14 mountains above 8,000 meters in 189 days |
| Historic Climb | First to summit Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu within 48 hours |
| Winter K2 | Part of the first team to summit K2 in winter (2021) |
| 2026 Incident | Reported missing after an avalanche on Broad Peak on July 30, 2026 |
Nirmal Purja Net Worth
Nirmal Purja net worth is estimated around $2 million. He has earn his wealth from many successful ventures.
His one of his main sources of income is his commercial mountaineering and guiding company. He also earns money from brand partnerships, sponsorships and speaking engagements.
Purja has built his career from his achievements in mountaineering, adventure tourism and motivational speaking.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Estimated Net Worth | Around $2 million |
| Main Income Sources | Mountaineering company, guiding, sponsorships, brand partnerships, and motivational speaking |
Nirmal Purja Early Life
Nirmal Purja also famous as Nims. He was born on 25 July 1983 in Dana. He was born in a small village in Nepal Myagdi District, near Dhaulagiri.
His village is located about 1,600 meters above sea level. When he was four years old, his family moved to Chitwan District, near Kathmandu.
His father served as a Gurkha soldier, and his mother came from a farming family. Because his parents belonged to different Nepalese castes, their marriage was not accepted by their families.
As a result, they were cut off from financial and social support. Purja has said that his family was very poor during his childhood.
He has shared that he did not even own a pair of flip-flops as a child. His three older brothers also became Gurkha soldiers.
They helped pay for his education at an English-speaking boarding school. While in school, Purja became skilled in kickboxing.
Later, he attended Loughborough University in England. He earned a postgraduate diploma in Security Management.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Birthplace | Dana, Myagdi District, Nepal |
| Childhood | Raised in a poor family |
| Moved To | Chitwan District at age four |
| Education Support | Brothers helped pay for his boarding school |
| University | Loughborough University |
| Qualification | Postgraduate Diploma in Security Management |
| Early Interests | Kickboxing |
Nirmal Purja Personal Life
Nirmal Purja is of Magar descent. He was raised as a Hindu. He is married to Suchi Purja, whose father also served as a Gurkha soldier.
The couple lives in Hampshire, England. In May 2024, two women publicly accused Purja of sexual harassment and sexual assault.
One accuser, Dr. April Leonardo, alleged that Purja repeatedly grabbed, kissed, and propositioned her during a K2 expedition in June 2022.
Purja has denied all of the allegations. Through his lawyer, he described the claims as false and defamatory.
He also posted a statement on Instagram, calling the allegations “heinous” and saying that the news report left out important context and witness information.
As of the information provided, these are allegations, and Purja has not admitted wrongdoing.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Ethnicity | Magar |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Wife | Suchi Purja |
| Residence | Hampshire, England |
| 2024 Controversy | Faced public allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault, which he denied through his lawyer and public statements. |
Nirmal Purja Awards
Nirmal Purja has received several important awards and honors for his achievements in mountaineering and charity work.
Nirmal Purja has received many important awards and honors for his achievements. He was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
| Award | Details |
|---|---|
| Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) | Awarded for achievements in mountaineering and charity work |
| Global Recognition | Internationally recognized for record-breaking high-altitude climbing and leadership in mountaineering |
FAQ – Nirmal Purja Biography
1. Who is Nirmal Purja?
Nirmal Purja is a Nepalese mountaineer and former British Army soldier.
2. Why is Nirmal Purja famous?
He climbs all 14 peaks above more than 8,000 meters in 189 days.
3. Who is Nirmal Purja wife?
Nirmal Purja is married to Suchi Purja.
4. What is Nirmal Purja net worth?
His net worth is estimated around $2 million.
5. What are Nirmal Purja achievements?
His set of climbing records and received an MBE for his achievements.
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Instagram – Nirmal Purja Biography
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