City
Epaper

Nepali climber summits world's 14 top peaks in 6 months

By IANS | Updated: October 29, 2019 21:30 IST

It took nearly eight years for mountaineers to reach the top of the world's 14 peaks higher than 8,000 metres, but a Nepali mountaineer, who is a former British Marine, completed the feat in six months and a week on Tuesday, reports said.

Open in App

Beginning with climbing atop Nepal's Annapurna on April 23, Nirmal Purja, 36 reached the top of Shishapangma in China's Tibet region on Tuesday morning, the BBC reported.

Joining the British Army in 2003 and becoming a Royal Marine in 2009, Purja's climbing career began when he walked to Everest base camp in 2012 and then decided to climb the world's highest mountain.

Already the holder of numerous records - including the fastest "double-header" of two mountains higher than 8,000 metres - and awarded the MBE by the Queen in 2018, Pujra planned to break the record of conquering the world's 14 highest peaks

Purja's own website says the previous record holder was Polish climber Jerzy Kukucza, who finished the challenge in 1987 in 7 years, 11 months and 14 days, while an article on the British Mountaineering Council's website says the record holder was South Korean Kim Chang-ho, with a time of seven years, 10 months and six days.

After the Annapurna, Pujra conquered Dhaulagiri on May 12 and the Kanchenjunga on May 15, and climbed the Mount Everest on May 22.

During his climbs, he rescued four other climbers - three of whom he called "suicide missions" - and has, in his own words, "bled from every angle", the BBC said.

After Everest, he conquered the Lhotse the same day and Makalu on May 24 (both in Nepal), telling the BBC in August that he climbed the three peaks in five days, but it could have been three - had he not stopped for two nights "to have a drink".

Purja then headed to Pakistan where he climbed the Nanga Parbat (July 3), Gasherbrum 1, (July 15), Gasherbrum 2, (July 18), K2 (July 24), and the Broad Peak (July 26).

Climbing the Cho Oyu in China on September 23 and Manaslu in Nepal on September 27, he had to wait till he got permission from China for climbing Shishapangma, which came in mid-October after the Nepali government approached the Chinese government on his behalf.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: nepalPurjabbcEverestchina
Open in App

Related Stories

OpinionsWill China Invade & Annex Taiwan?

CricketNepal Announce 15-Member Squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

InternationalNepal: Birgunj Curfew Extended Till 6 PM as Tensions Persist Over TikTok Video

InternationalChina Drafts New Regulations To Curb Risks Of Human-Like AI Interactions

InternationalIndian Vlogger Detained for 15 Hours at Chinese Airport Over Arunachal Pradesh Stance

International Realted Stories

InternationalIran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi urges Trump to act "sooner rather than later" so regime "finally collapses"

InternationalCooperation between Seoul, Tokyo more important than ever, South Korean President tells Japan PM

InternationalRights body flags gender-based repression by Pakistani forces across Balochistan

InternationalBRICS 2026 theme, logo, website unveiled; EAM Jaishankar pushes for people-first, reformed multilateralism

InternationalNepal issues advisory for Iran as protests intensify, authorities resort to use of force