Kathmandu: Various national and international figures and organizations have paid tribute to Nirmal Purja, popularly known as Nims Dai in Nepal, following his death while climbing Broad Peak in Pakistan.
Purja, along with several other mountaineers, died in an avalanche in the region on Saturday.
Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah said in a Facebook post on Saturday that the tragedy had ended only the climbers’ physical journeys, while their courage, dedication and contributions would continue to inspire generations. “Mountaineering is not merely a journey to reach the summit. It is the highest expression of courage, discipline, sacrifice and the indomitable confidence to challenge the limits of human potential,” he wrote. He said that mountaineers remain immortal in history through their courage, dedication and the legacy they leave behind.
On Saturday, the British Embassy in Kathmandu also paid tribute to Nirmal Purja. “We are saddened by the passing of Nepali-British mountaineer Nirmal Purja MBE, whose achievements reshaped the world of mountaineering,” the embassy wrote in a social media post. “He also served as a British Gurkha. Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of all those who lost their lives on Broad Peak.”
The tragic death of Nirmal Purja has left the mountaineering community grieving. In Nepal, there has been an outpouring of grief and condolences, as Purja was born in Nepal and remains a highly celebrated figure in the country’s mountaineering community.
