Celebrated climber Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja of Elite Exped has recently removed a controversial video from his social media accounts, following backlash from the global mountaineering community. The video, which accused Sherpa climbers of slicing ropes on Mt. Everest, quickly went viral and drew critical reactions from climbers worldwide. Purja, who has faced accusations of sexual assault and harassment by at least two women, also closed his Nimsdai clothing store in Thamel. A senior executive who has worked with him for over two years confirmed the closure but did not provide further details. This move comes after popular brands such as Scarpa, Grivel, and Osprey terminated their collaborations with Purja.
Allegations have emerged that Purja, a British citizen, evaded mountaineering royalties worth millions of rupees using a Nepali passport. He is also accused of charging clients hefty sums for gear and clothing purchased from his store and bringing climbing equipment from Europe without paying taxes. Following the closure of his Thamel outlet, Purja removed the controversial video clips from his social media. In the video, he had claimed that ropes along the Everest summit were cut to prevent him from reaching the top, which sparked outrage within the mountaineering community.
The Department of Tourism (DoT) in Nepal has recommended stern action against Purja for his alleged wrongdoings on Mt. Everest. He has been criticized for circulating fake messages from the Everest high camp and other misconducts, including holding illegal training for Elite Exped climbers above Everest base camp, commandeering an unauthorized helicopter flight to Camp II, and posting misleading videos about rope slicing. The DoT has submitted a detailed report to the Ministry of Tourism, citing violations of Nepal’s mountaineering rules and recommending punishment under clause 38(1) of the Tourism Act-1978, which could result in a ban from mountaineering in Nepal for up to ten years.
Nirmal Purja previously gained fame for claiming to have scaled all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters in just six months and six days in 2019. However, evidence later showed that he did not reach the true summits of Mt. Dhaulagiri and Mt. Manaslu. He subsequently rescaled these mountains in 2021 to achieve the true summits, completing all 14 peaks in two years, five months, and 15 days. Attempts to reach Purja for comment have been unsuccessful, and members of Elite Exped have declined to speak on the issue.
