Hari Buddha Magar, a former British Gurkha Veteran who served for 15 years with the Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR), has embarked on a journey to make history in mountaineering. As stated on his website, he and his team successfully made their way through Khumbu Icefall, located at the head of Khumbu Glacier. Their next step is to proceed towards Khumbu Valley and reach Camp Two, situated at an altitude of 6400m.

Hari Buddha Magar’s early life

Magar was born in 1979 in a village in Nepal’s foothills of the Himalayas. He spent his childhood in Mirul, situated in Nepal’s Rolpa District of the Himalayas. For 15 years, Magar served the Crown as a member of the RGR. In 2010, while serving in Afghanistan, he sustained injuries that resulted in losing both legs below the knees. As a result, he was medically discharged from the army in 2014 with the rank of Corporal.

Hari Buddha Magar’s injury

On patrol in Afghanistan in April 2010, he tragically stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED), resulting in losing both his legs below the knees. Overcome by despair, he spent 18 difficult months in a deep depression before a veteran charity allowed him to experience the thrill of skydiving. This life-altering experience catalysed his remarkable recovery, and he has since remained resilient and determined to make the most of his life.

Achievements

Meet Magar, a remarkable mountaineer and adventurer who has set a world record. He achieved the incredible feat of successfully becoming the first-ever double above-knee amputee (DAK) to summit a mountain over 6,000m.

• 1st (DAK) to climb Mera Peak 6,476m
• 1st (DAK) to climb Ben Nevis with Genium X3s (prosthetic legs)
• 1st (DAK) to trek to Everest Base Camp with Genium X3s (prosthetic legs)
• 1st (DAK) to climb Mt Toubkal with Genium X3s (prosthetic legs)
• 1st (DAK) to climb Chulu Far East 6,058m
• One of 1st (DAK) to climb Mont Blanc 4,810m with prosthetic legs

Accomplishments

At the end of 2017, the Nepali tourism ministry banned solo climbers, blind people, and double amputees from attempting to climb Mount Everest to reduce the number of deaths on the mountain. In response, Magar launched a campaign to overturn the ban, travelling to Geneva to address the United Nations and citing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in her argument.

How can you help?

You can make a difference by visiting the HariEverestAppeal and donating whatever you can. 

All funds raised will be split equally between the five charities named below:

• Gurkha Welfare Trust (www.gwt.org.uk)
• BLESMA (www.blesma.org)
• Pilgrim Bandits (www.pilgrimbandits.org)
• On Course Foundation (www.oncoursefoundation.com)
• Team Forces (www.teamarmy.org)

Your help will be greatly appreciated! Together we can make a difference.

Conclusion

Success on the world’s highest mountain is a daunting challenge; however, this has yet to deter Budha Magar, a double amputee, from attempting to summit Mount Everest. His determination and courage are evident in his expedition creed: “no legs, no limits”. Magar has shown that his disability is not a constraint, and this has inspired many around the world. He is a living testament to the idea that, with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.