Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja (R) talks to the media along with his team at the Tribhuvan International airport after becoming the first to summit Pakistan's K2 mountain in winter, in Kathmandu on January 26, 2021. Photo by PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP
Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepal was mourning Saturday the loss of mountaineer Nirmal Purja, with Prime Minister Balendra Shah leading the nation in paying tributes to the braveheart who etched his name in record books.
The 43-year-old British-Nepali mountaineer was killed alongside nine other climbers after they were caught in a deadly avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak, his expedition company said.
"No words can erase the pain of this unimaginable loss," Elite Expeditions said in a statement.
Purja, who served with Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas before joining the Special Boat Squadron of the Royal Marines, broke multiple climbing records since becoming a full-time mountaineer and guide.
In 2019, he stunned the climbing fraternity by scaling the world's 14 highest peaks in just over six months, smashing the previous record of seven years.
Nepal premier Shah described the deaths of Purja and the other climbers as a tragedy that shocked the nation.
"The physical journey of all the deceased climbers... has been interrupted, but the history of their courage, dedication, and contributions will always remain inspiring," Shah said in a social media statement.
In Kathmandu, a large billboard at the main city square displayed a picture of Purja in climbing gear with the message: "You will be remembered."
The avalanche struck on Thursday while the mountaineers were attempting to summit Broad Peak (8,047 metres, or 26,400 feet) at an altitude of around 6,600 metres, according to authorities in Pakistan.
Purja's death was widely seen as a devastating blow to the climbing world.
'Life truly lived'
"It is a big loss for not just Nepal but the entire mountaineering community," Ishwori Poudel, senior vice-president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, told AFP.
"He inspired so many. We had not seen climbers on the 8,000 peaks like this before him. His contribution for this is huge."
Beyond record summits, Purja's most enduring contribution was shifting global perception towards Nepali mountaineers.
Long relegated to supporting roles, Nepali climbers began gaining recognition in their own right as Purja's global profile shone a spotlight on their achievements.
"He showed Nepalis that climbing doesn't have to be just work, that you can climb for your own fun and passion," Tul Singh Gurung, president of the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association, told AFP.
Purja's exploits were documented globally and helped elevate a new generation of Nepali climbers onto the world stage, making him one of the most influential figures in modern mountaineering.
Gelje Sherpa, a Nepali mountaineer and guide who worked closely with Purja, said he will always miss his "brother".
"Because of you our nation gained recognition and the world learned who the Sherpas are," he wrote on Instagram.
The disaster also prompted tributes from the wider mountaineering community.
Italian great Reinhold Messner, who made the first solo ascent of Everest, said his thoughts were with his friends, family and everyone who had the privilege of knowing Purja.
"Nirmal chose his own path with courage and passion," he said in a post on Instagram.
"What remains is not only the sorrow of his passing but the memory of a life truly lived."
