Nims Dai death: Tamil actor Veera mourns mountaineer's Broad Peak tragedy
Synopsis
Nirmal Purja — Nims Dai — died in an avalanche on Broad Peak while chasing history: he was weeks away from becoming the first person to climb all 14 eight-thousanders twice, without oxygen. Tamil actor Veera's tribute captured what millions felt — that this was not just a mountaineer's death, but the silencing of a once-in-a-generation story of human will.
Key Takeaways
Nirmal Purja (Nims Dai) died on Thursday after an avalanche struck his expedition on Broad Peak , Pakistan — an 8,051-metre peak in the Karakoram range .
Tamil actor Veera , known for 'Rajathandhiram' , paid tribute via Instagram , calling Purja a man who 'taught millions that courage can take us beyond impossible.' Purja held the record for climbing all 14 eight-thousanders in just over six months under his 'Project Possible' campaign, shattering a record of nearly eight years .
He had revealed in a Facebook post on 27 July that Broad Peak was added last-minute, as completing it would have left only Cho Oyu for a historic second double-summit — all without supplemental oxygen.
Purja was born in Nepal's Dhaulagiri region and raised in Chitwan .
Tamil actor Veera, known for his role in the superhit film 'Rajathandhiram', has paid tribute to legendary mountaineer Nirmal Purja — widely known as Nims Dai — who died on Thursday after an avalanche struck the expedition he was leading on Broad Peak, the 8,051-metre summit in Pakistan's Karakoram range. Purja's death has drawn an outpouring of grief from across the world, including from the Indian entertainment community.
Veera's Tribute
Taking to his Instagram stories, Veera wrote: 'Today, the world doesn't just mourn a mountaineer — it mourns a man who taught millions that courage can take us beyond impossible.' He added that Purja 'didn't just climb peaks' but 'gave hope to dreamers, strength to climbers, and inspired an entire generation to look higher.' Veera concluded: 'Rest in Peace, Nims Dai. Legends never truly leave the mountains.'
Who Was Nirmal Purja
Born in Nepal's Dhaulagiri region and raised in Chitwan, Nirmal Purja rewrote the record books in 2019 when he summited all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre peaks in just over six months under his 'Project Possible' campaign — shattering a previous record that had stood at nearly eight years. His feats, documented in a Netflix film, made him one of the most recognised high-altitude climbers of his generation.
The Final Ambition
Purja's return to Broad Peak was part of an audacious second attempt to climb all 14 eight-thousanders — this time without supplemental oxygen. In a Facebook post on 27 July, he revealed that Broad Peak had not been part of his original itinerary. He had initially planned to climb only Gasherbrum II (G2), but recalculated mid-trip. 'This was never the plan. Initially, the plan was to climb just G2. But just before setting off for Pakistan, I ran the numbers on my 8,000m summits. That's when it hit me: if I tick off Broad Peak whilst I'm here, only one remains — Cho Oyu. Then I become the FIRST person in history to climb all 14 eight-thousanders twice. Without oxygen,' he wrote.
The Avalanche on Broad Peak
The avalanche struck the expedition party Purja was leading on Broad Peak, cutting short what would have been a historic second double-completion of all 14 eight-thousanders. Details of the incident are still emerging, and the full circumstances of the tragedy are being confirmed by authorities. The loss has prompted widespread mourning in the global mountaineering community.
What Comes Next
Purja's death leaves an indelible mark on high-altitude mountaineering. His record under 'Project Possible' remains unmatched in speed, and his ambition to repeat the feat without oxygen had been widely followed. Tributes continue to pour in from mountaineers, athletes, and public figures across the world, with many calling him an irreplaceable figure in the history of human endurance.
Point of View
Oxygen-free completion of all 14 eight-thousanders — a goal no human has achieved. The fact that Broad Peak was a last-minute addition, driven by a mental calculation he made 'just before setting off for Pakistan', underscores both his ambition and the razor-thin margin between record and tragedy at extreme altitude. The outpouring from figures like Veera reflects how Purja had crossed over from niche mountaineering fame to genuine cultural icon status — a transition few climbers achieve.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Nims Dai and why is he famous?
Nims Dai is the popular name of Nepali-British mountaineer Nirmal Purja, who set a world record by climbing all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre peaks in just over six months in 2019 under his 'Project Possible' campaign. His story was documented in a Netflix film and made him one of the most celebrated high-altitude climbers in history.
How did Nims Dai die?
Nirmal Purja died on Thursday after an avalanche struck the expedition he was leading on Broad Peak, an 8,051-metre mountain in Pakistan's Karakoram range. The full details of the incident are still being confirmed by authorities.
What was Nims Dai attempting on Broad Peak?
Purja was attempting to become the first person in history to climb all 14 eight-thousanders twice — this time without supplemental oxygen. Broad Peak was a last-minute addition to his itinerary; completing it would have left only Cho Oyu for a historic second double-summit.
Who is Tamil actor Veera and why did he pay tribute?
Veera is a well-known Tamil actor best recognised for his role in the superhit film 'Rajathandhiram'. He paid tribute to Nirmal Purja via Instagram stories, calling him a man who inspired an entire generation to 'look higher.'
Where was Nirmal Purja from?
Nirmal Purja was born in Nepal's Dhaulagiri region and raised in Chitwan. He later served in the British military before pursuing his mountaineering career full-time.
