Lawmaker Rajendra Bajgain has called for the government to ban prominent climber Nirmal “Nims Dai” Purja from entering Nepal following a New York Times article alleging sexual assault by Purja. The allegations were made by Finnish climber Lotta Hintsa and American physician Dr. April Leonardo, who accuse Purja of sexual misconduct during their expeditions with him. Purja has tarnished Nepal’s image, not only with these recent allegations but also by accusing Sherpas of cutting ropes on expeditions. Despite having British citizenship, Purja continues to climb using Nepali citizenship, which he later renounced.
The allegations have sent shockwaves through the global climbing community, with many climbers and organizations calling for action against Purja and urging his sponsors to sever ties with him. Influential figures in the mountaineering community have publicly condemned the alleged behavior, emphasizing the need for zero tolerance for sexual predation.
Osprey Packs, an American outdoor backpack company, terminated their collaboration with Purja, while Scarpa World temporarily suspended all marketing and promotional activities associated with the athlete until the situation is fully clarified. Italian producer Grivel faced backlash for their handling of the situation, with photographer and climber Emma Svensson ending her collaboration with the company. Grivel has since removed all pictures of Nims and products with his name from their Instagram account.
Purja’s record-breaking ascents and widely shared images of traffic on Mount Everest have done little to improve his reputation. Three people lost their lives as a result of a huge explosion that took place in the home that was Purja’s Elite Expedition’s headquarters in Nepal in September 2022. Several infractions against mountaineering and aviation regulations have been levelled against Purja in Nepal, including guiding his clients illegally to Everest Camp III and using an unapproved helicopter to reach Camp II. Purja was also refused permission by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to skydive in the Everest region, citing significant concerns regarding aviation safety.
