Nirmal Purja and Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, known across the climbing world as Nimsdai and Mingma G, spent years running rival premier expedition outfits in Kathmandu — Purja’s Elite Exped and Mingma G’s Imagine Nepal — while competing for clients and records on the world’s highest mountains. But a week after the July 30 avalanche on Broad Peak (8,047m) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir killed Purja and other climbers, Mingma fulfilled a vow he had taken as his team trekked to the site and brought back the body of the man who was once his fiercest professional rival, close friend and, on some of mountaineering’s most important days, his summit partner,

Mountaineer Nirmal Purja leaves behind a contested legacy. In 2024, two women climbers accused him of sexual misconduct—allegations he denied.

Nirmal 'Nims' Purja and nine other climbers died in an avalanche on Broad Peak. | World News