Hari Budha Magar is a Guinness World Records ICON. He was just 31 when a mine blast in Afghanistan changed the life of former Gurkha soldier Hari Budha Magar forever. In 2010, he was then with the British Army's Royal Gurkha Rifles. The Nepal-born soldier stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) and lost both his legs above the knee. But 13 years later, on May 19, 2023, he became the ‘first double above-the-knee amputee’ to climb Mount Everest. He is also the world's first double above-knee amputee to summit the Seven Summits challenge. For Hari, reaching Everest was a childhood ambition, not something that he wanted to do after losing his legs.
Hari was born in a remote Nepal village in Rolpa district. He was always surrounded by mountains and like many children in the Himalayan country, he was fascinated by Everest. He was only 19, when he left Nepal to join the British Army's Gurkha regiment. Becoming a Gurkha was already a significant achievement, which offered him an opportunity to build a better life for himself and his family. He went on to serve for 15 years with the Royal Gurkha Rifles which took him to different parts of the world. But in 2010, his military career ended with a devastating mine blast.
Hari was on a foot patrol in Afghanistan in 2010 when he stepped on a pressure-plate IED. The explosion left him critically injured. He was evacuated for medical treatment, but doctors had to amputate both his legs above the knee. In an interview with The PGA, Hari recalled how he had been unable to move after the blast. When he woke up, he was in hospital and both his legs were gone. And it was only the beginning of his struggle.
The transition from being an active soldier to becoming a double amputee was clearly not easy. Also growing up, Hari had seen how people with disabilities were often treated. He had rarely seen amputees living independently. In an interview with The Guardian, he admitted that he had believed his life was finished. He struggled with depression, turned to alcohol to cope with his pain and emotions, and even attempted to take his own life. But eventually, his family became an important reason to keep going. Then sport became an important part of his rehabilitation. He took up activities such as kayaking, skiing, cycling, horse riding, archery, golf and rock climbing.
Hari started training for challenging climbs and learning to use specialised prosthetic legs. In 2017, he became the first double above-the-knee amputee to climb Mera Peak in Nepal, which stands at 6,476 metres. It was a significant milestone that strengthened his belief that he could attempt even greater challenges. But his biggest dream remained Mount Everest. In 2017, Nepal had introduced a rule prohibiting certain categories of climbers, including double amputees and blind people, from attempting Everest. The restriction threatened to end Hari's ambition before he could even begin. Rather than abandon his dream, he became involved in efforts to challenge the regulation. He helped campaign against the ban, which was subsequently overturned by Nepal's Supreme Court in 2018. For Hari, the change was about more than securing permission to climb. It was also about challenging the assumptions surrounding disability and demonstrating that people should not be denied opportunities simply because of their physical condition.
Hari with his ICON awards
Preparing for Everest required years of physical conditioning, technical training and careful planning. Climbing the world's highest mountain is an extraordinary challenge even for experienced mountaineers. Hari trained with experienced mountaineers, including Krish Thapa, a former Gurkha and British Army mountaineering instructor. He also worked with specialised prosthetics and adapted equipment to help him navigate steep, icy terrain. His expedition finally began in April 2023. After reaching Everest Base Camp, he and his team waited for favourable weather conditions before beginning their summit attempt. On May 19, 2023, at approximately 3 pm local time, Hari reached the 8,849-metre summit. His achievements have continued beyond Everest. In June 2024, he was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the King's Birthday Honours for his services to disability awareness. For Hari, reaching Everest was never just about setting a mountaineering record. He wanted his journey to encourage people with disabilities to pursue their ambitions rather than allow their circumstances to dictate their futures.
