Former British Gorkha soldier Hari Budha Magar on Friday climbed Everest becoming the first above-the-knee double amputee to scale the world’s highest peak.
Through his climb, Hari aims to change perceptions on disability and inspire people to climb their own ‘mountains’ no matter the adversity that stands in their way.
Having grown up in the Nepalese mountains before serving 15 years as a Corporal with the Ghurkha Regiment of the British Army, scaling Everest was a boyhood dream for Budha.
“It’s an unbelievable achievement,” he told base camp officials.
In a short video captured by base camp officials Budha looks apparently happy and refreshed despite exhaustion. He was brought to Everest base camp by a rescue helicopter, according to Khimlal Gautam, the head of liaison officers.
Buddha’s climb was made possible by a team of Nepalese climbers, led by Expedition Leader Krish Thapa, of HST Adventures, who served at the SAS’s Mountain Troop Leader during a 24-year British Forces career that started like Hari as a Gurkha before 18 years in the SAS.
In 2010, Buddha had lost his legs while fighting against Taliban forces in Afghanistan. Born in 1979 in the district of Rolpa, Nepal, Budha had joined the British force in 1999. He was injured in Afghanistan in the course of regular patrolling in 2010.
Ever since recovering from the deadly blast he came into adventurous activities such as paragliding, skydiving and mountaineering.
Buddha climbed the Mera Peak (6476 meter) in 2017 becoming the first double above knee to climb the peak. Encouraged by Mera Peak success, Budha had wanted to climb Mount Everest. But the government barred physically disabled people from climbing Everest.
Budha was one among other legal experts to challenge the government decision at the Supreme Court. The court allowed all people to climb Everest. But the Covid-19 pandemic affected the expedition.
This year, Buddha had attempted to stand atop Everest. He made it.
“If I can climb to the top of the world then anyone, regardless of their disability, can achieve their dream,” Budha told his media team over a satellite phone, “My big goals were simply to change perceptions on disability and to inspire other people to climb their own mountains. No matter how big your dreams, no matter how challenging your disability, with the right mindset anything is possible.”
