A climber in a red and white suit and blue helmet ascends a steep, snow-covered mountain slope, secured with orange climbing ropes. The rugged, icy peak and surrounding snow-covered ridges rise sharply against a clear blue sky, with a faint rainbow visible in the distance.

Hari Budha Magar Defies Limits on Prosthetic Legs

Anano Atabegashvili | October 20, 2025
8000m
A climber in a red and white suit and blue helmet ascends a steep, snow-covered mountain slope, secured with orange climbing ropes. The rugged, icy peak and surrounding snow-covered ridges rise sharply against a clear blue sky, with a faint rainbow visible in the distance.

Photo:  everestchronicle

When former British Gurkha Hari Budha Magar lost both legs above the knees to an IED in Afghanistan in 2010, few could have imagined he would one day stand atop the world’s tallest mountains. Fifteen years later, the 45-year-old Nepali-born veteran has turned tragedy into triumph – redefining courage, resilience, and possibility with every climb.

Earlier this year, Magar became the first double above-knee amputee to summit Mt. Aconcagua (6,961m), the highest peak outside Asia. The climb marked another milestone in his ambitious Seven Summits Challenge, an elite quest to climb the highest mountain on each continent. Climbing alongside IFMGA guides Abiral Rai and Mingma Chhiring Sherpa, Magar reached the summit on February 22 after battling brutal winds and exhaustion.

“Every mountain brings its own challenges, but for me these are amplified with my disability,” he told Blesma. “I climb three times slower than an able-bodied mountaineer, so every step demands more patience and strength.”

In July 2025, Magar added another chapter to his record book – Mt. Olympus (2,918m), Greece’s highest peak and the mythical home of the gods. Climbing alongside Greek alpinist Marios Giannakou, he dedicated the ascent to Giannakou’s late friend Jason Kenisson, who died on Everest in 2023 – the same day Magar stood on its summit.

“It was about paying respect to Jason, who died chasing his dream,” Magar said. “I always climb with purpose – not for fame or money, but to inspire others to conquer their own mountains.”

He later learned he was also the first double above-knee amputee to summit Mt. Olympus – an achievement that further cements his place in mountaineering history.

Born in Nepal’s Rolpa district, Magar served 15 years with the Royal Gurkha Rifles of the British Army before the 2010 explosion changed his life forever. What could have ended his journey instead became the foundation of a new mission – to prove that disability is not inability.

In 2018, Magar won a legal battle to overturn Nepal’s ban on climbers with disabilities. Five years later, in May 2023, he made history as the first double above-knee amputee to summit Mt. Everest (8,849m) -earning both a Guinness World Record and the Pride of Britain Award.

Magar has already completed six of the seven peaks:

  • Mont Blanc (4,810m) – August 2019
  • Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,895m) – January 2020
  • Mt. Everest (8,849m) – May 2023
  • Denali (6,190m) – June 2024
  • Aconcagua (6,961m) – February 2025
  • Mt. Olympus (2,918m) – July 2025

He now plans to climb Puncak Jaya (Oceania) and Mt. Vinson (Antarctica) by the end of 2025 – becoming the first double above-knee amputee ever to complete the Seven Summits, a feat achieved by fewer than 500 people worldwide.

Each of Magar’s expeditions supports causes close to his heart. Through his climbs, he raises funds for veteran and disability organizations such as The Gurkha Welfare Trust, Blesma, On Course Foundation, Pilgrim Bandits, and Team Forces.

He also collaborates with partners like Ottobock, Parajumpers, AG1, and Barratt Redrow Developments to test advanced prosthetic designs under extreme conditions – helping improve future mobility technology for amputees.

From the battlefields of Afghanistan to the peaks of the Himalaya, Hari Budha Magar’s journey is one of transformation, purpose, and hope.

“The climb is not just about me,” he said. “It’s about showing the world that with belief, teamwork, and determination, anyone can rise beyond their limits – no matter how high the mountain.”