Nirmal Purja MBE is a former member of the Gurkhas and the esteemed UK Special Boat Service - the UK's maritime counter-terrorism unit of the Royal Navy. In total, Nirmal spent over 16 years serving in the army. Born in Nepal but naturalised in Britain, Nirmal is a brilliant mountaineer. Most recently, he starred in the Netflix film 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. The film follows Nirmal and a small team of climbers as he achieves a feat never seen before, reaching the summit of 14 mountains in just seven months. In 2022, 14 Peaks was added to the BAFTA Longlist, a fantastic achievement for the entire team.
Coming from a military family, Nirmal aspired to be like his 3 older brothers and father who were all Gurkha soldiers. Nirmal joined the Gurkhas in 2003 and became a member of the Special Boat Service in 2009 serving as a specialist in cold weather warfare.
Nirmal attributes some of the skills and mental attitudes he learned in the military with his incredible ability as a mountaineer. He credits them with allowing him to achieve seemingly impossible things. He is determination personified, he has an incredible mindsight that allows him to overcome. On the speaking circuit, Nirmal shares these mental models with audiences leaving a lasting positive impression and valuable insights.
He was awarded an MBE in 2018 for his work in high altitude mountaineering. He holds the Guinness World Record for climbing the 3 tallest mountains in the world Mount Everest, Lhotse and Makalu completing all 3 in just 2 days and 30 minutes. In order to help others, Nirmal set up Nimsdai offering 1:1 expedition guidance and commercial trips for corporate participants. He provides a safe exciting experience for all budding explorers. As a speaker, Nirmal is is extremely popular he is a breath of fresh air he is energetic positive and empowering.
In March 2024 we sat down virtually with Nirmal Purja and discussed how he remains motivated in some of the harshest conditions atop the deadliest mountains. Watch our Exclusive Interview with Nirmal Purja.
