06/08/2026
"The final farewell for world-renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, popularly known as Nimsdai, will take place in London, following his tragic death in a massive avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak. Purja, who was leading a 10-member expedition team, lost his life during the climbing accident on July 29.
Although his body was identified three days after the avalanche, recovery efforts were delayed because of severe weather and the extremely challenging terrain. Rescue teams successfully brought his body back to the expedition's base camp on Wednesday after a difficult operation.
According to his elder brother, Kamal Bahadur Purja, the family has decided to perform the funeral rites in London, where they reside. After the funeral, special memorial ceremonies will also be held in Myagdi, his birthplace, and Chitwan, where he spent his childhood. He said all legal and religious formalities will be completed before the final rites are conducted.
In a statement, Purja's company, Elite Expeditions, confirmed that the bodies of Nimsdai and three other climbers were recovered following an extensive rescue mission and brought safely to the base camp. The company said the bodies are expected to be flown to London by Friday night or Saturday.
The challenging recovery operation was supported by the Government of Pakistan, the Pakistan Army, the British High Commission, the Gilgit-Baltistan government, the Embassy of Nepal, and the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
Nimsdai was celebrated as one of the greatest mountaineers of his generation. He made history by climbing all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre peaks in record time without supplemental oxygen, while also setting rare achievements on K2. His extraordinary career earned him 18 Guinness World Records, cementing his place among the world's elite climbers.
He was also the first Nepali to receive the prestigious Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award from the British monarchy in recognition of his outstanding contributions to mountaineering. His untimely death has left Nepal and the global climbing community in deep mourning, as tributes continue to pour in for a man whose achievements inspired adventurers around the world."