Defying limits: Former Gurkha and double above-knee amputee Hari Budha Magar nears Seven Summits glory – The Himalayan Times – Nepal’s No.1 English Daily Newspaper

KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 25

Fifteen years after losing both his legs above the knees in Afghanistan, former British Gurkha Hari Budha Magar continues to redefine what is humanly possible.

The 45-year-old double amputee climber etched his name into mountaineering history once again, becoming the first person with double above-knee amputations to reach the summit of Carstensz Pyramid (4,884m), the highest mountain in Oceania. He reached the summit of the Carstensz Pyramid at 7:00 am local time on October 18.

The achievement marks Summit #6 in his Seven Summits Challenge, an extraordinary quest to climb the highest peak on every continent. With only Mt. Vinson in Antarctica remaining, Magar now stands on the verge of becoming the first double above-knee amputee in history to complete the Seven Summits, a feat accomplished by fewer than 500 climbers worldwide.

Photo Courtesy: Hari Budha Magar/facebook

“This climb was one of the most technical of all the Seven Summits,” Magar said after the ascent. “But with my team’s help, we made it. It’s all part of raising awareness about disability and inspiring others to climb their own mountains and conquer their dreams.”

His team on Carstensz Pyramid included IFMGA-certified guides Mingma Chhiring Sherpa and Abiral Rai and two local guides. The expedition was jointly supported by Seven Summit Treks, 14 Peaks Expedition, and Tropic Adventure Papua.

Photo Courtesy: Hari Budha Magar/facebook

In a congratulatory post, Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, a UK charity supporting injured service members, hailed Magar’s success, “Massive congratulations to Gurkha veteran and Blesma Member Hari Budha Magar, who just became the first double above-knee amputee to summit Carstensz Pyramid. Hari is not just making history – he’s using every peak to raise funds for Blesma, proving that no mountain is too high.”

Photo Courtesy: Hari Budha Magar/facebook

Born in Nepal’s Rolpa district, Magar served in the Royal Gurkha Rifles for 15 years before an IED explosion in Afghanistan in 2010 changed his life forever. What could have ended his dreams instead ignited a mission: to challenge perceptions of disability and show that determination can conquer any mountain.

“Believing in ourselves is key to overcoming any obstacle. Every challenge becomes an opportunity to grow and achieve the impossible,” Budha Magar said.

Since then, Magar has transformed personal tragedy into a story of global inspiration. His climbs raise funds and awareness for charities including the Gurkha Welfare Trust, Blesma, On Course Foundation, Pilgrim Bandits, and Team Forces.

Hari Budha Magar’s latest achievement adds another extraordinary chapter to his record of groundbreaking climbs.

Photo Courtesy: Hari Budha Magar/facebook

His journey on the Seven Summits began in August 2019, when he scaled Mont Blanc (4,810m) in Europe, followed by Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,895m) in Africa in January 2020. After a brief pause, he returned to the high-altitude stage by summiting Mt. Everest (8,849m) in May 2023, making history as the first double above-knee amputee to reach the world’s highest peak, an accomplishment that earned him a Guinness World Record and the Pride of Britain Award.

Continuing his ambitious quest, Magar climbed Denali (6,190m) in North America in June 2024 and Mt. Aconcagua (6,961m) in South America in February 2025, describing the latter as “physically and mentally exhausting” due to his slower pace and the need to change prosthetic legs mid-descent on snow and ice. By July 2025, he had scaled Mt. Olympus (2,918m) in Greece alongside local climber Marios Giannakou, dedicating the ascent to Giannakou’s late friend Jason Kenisson, who had died on Everest two years earlier, the same day Magar reached its summit.

Photo Courtesy: Hari Budha Magar/facebook

Magar now sets his sights on Mt. Vinson (4,892m) in Antarctica, planned for December 2025. If successful, he will become the first double above-knee amputee to complete all Seven Summits.

Working with companies like Ottobock, Parajumpers, and AG1, Magar tests advanced prosthetic technology during his expeditions, helping to improve designs for other amputees worldwide. According to Budha Magar, he use Ottobock’s Genium X3 prosthetic legs everyday. “These legs empower me and have given the independence to live my life and achieve what many thought was impossible – like climbing some of the highest peaks in the world as a double above-knee amputee.”

Photo Courtesy: Hari Budha Magar/facebook

His mission, however, extends beyond the technical. “It’s not about fame or money,” he says. “It’s about proving that disability is not inability, that we can all rise beyond our limits, no matter how high the mountain.”

From the dusty battlefields of Afghanistan to the jagged heights of the Himalaya and beyond, Hari Budha Magar’s story is not just one of survival, but of reinvention, resilience, and hope, a reminder that courage can climb even higher than mountains.

“Together, we make anything is possible,” he wrote in his facebook post.