Written by: Shubha Shree Malla - 31030, Grade V
Posted on: 12 June, 2023
Hari Budha Magar is a Nepalese mountaineer. He became the first-ever Nepalese double above-knee amputee to climb peaks above 6000m. He was also one of the first to climb the highest peak in the world, known as Mt. Everest or Sagarmatha, located in Solukhumbu. He was born in 1979 in the village of Mirul in the Rolpa District. He is also a motivational speaker and an injured campaigner. He joined the British army through the Royal Gurkha Rifles when he was 19 years old. In 2010, while serving in Afghanistan, he stepped on an improvised explosive device, resulting in the loss of both legs above his knees and other injuries. However, he did not give up on life. After losing both legs, he engaged in various activities such as golf, skydiving, skiing, kayaking, and rock climbing. He also participated in wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball. He holds a world record as a double above-knee amputee for climbing peaks above 6000m. In 2017, Nepal banned disabled people from climbing peaks. However, after a year of campaigning and fighting, the government overturned the ban in 2018. He also expressed that the ban was discrimination and that they should have the freedom to pursue their goals. Finally, he achieved his goal on May 19th, 2023, after a series of struggles. Now the whole world has learned that if you have a goal you truly want to achieve, you can do it under any conditions.
