Former British Gurkha soldier Hari Budha Magar has scripted history becoming the world's first double above-the-knee amputee to climb Mt Everest.
"After making rounds of acclimatization rotations above the base camp, Budha Magar stood atop the roof of the world on May 19," expedition organizer said.
Hari Budha has already descended to Camp II after reaching the summit point, sources said.
It's an amazing experience, says Hari Budha after scaling Everest at 3:10 pm. The Gurkha veteran told THT that he along with four Sherpa climbers stood atop the roof of the world.
Budha Magar, 43, has climbed Everest to raise awareness of disability and show that having a disability does not have to be limiting.
Under the 'Conquering Dreams' Expedition, he scaled Everest using the short engineered prosthetic legs under the leadership of Krishna Thapa, former Chief Mountain Instructor at UK's Special Air Service, it added.
Budha Magar - born and raised dreaming to climb Mt Dhaulagiri and Mt Sisne that were visible from his home at remote Thawang village in Rolpa - had lost both his legs while fighting for the UK alongside Prince Harry in April 2010. The accident placed him in a challenging state for nearly two years after which he slowly garnered courage.
Earlier, Budha Magar told THT that he also wanted to be a role model inspiring people, not only those who are physically injured, but also to show the world the courage and determination that physically impaired people have.
Budha Magar, the father of three, has already reached high altitude locations and ascended mountains like Surya Kunda-Nepal, Ben Nevis-Scotland, Mt Blanc-France, Thorong La Pass, and Mera Peak with the grade bionic leg attached to his thighs. Last year, he made history as the first double above-the-knee amputee to trek to the Everest Base Camp. He also became the first double amputee to complete tandem skydives in the Everest region.
From the top of the world, as per Himalayan Ski Trek, Budha Magar explored a message that disabilities shouldn't be seen as sins of a previous life as well as that people with disabilities couldn't be viewed as 'the burden of the earth.'
Budha Magar's plan to scale Mt Everest in 2018 was postponed after the government introduced a mountaineering rule banning blind, double-amputee and solo climbers from attempting the climbing peaks including Mt Everest in 2017.
Budha Magar's climb is testament to the human spirit of pushing oneself to the limit and achieving great things, said Madhav Chamlagain, a senior journalist, who fought for the rights of differently-abled by filing a case at the Supreme Court against the government ban. Responding to Chamlagai's writ the ban was vacated by the SC order in 2018.
