Page 6 - AMA Summer 2024

HIGH ALTITUDE ›
NO LIMITS!
AHari Budha Magar
proud corporal in the British Army’s 1st Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles, Hari Budha Magar lost his legs in Afghanistan and life spiralled. What else was there to do but climb Everest? This is
his story...
I think it’s fair to say that they were quite humble beginnings. I was born 2500 metres above sea level, in a cowshed in a remote part of western Nepal during the civil war, and would walk barefoot to school, awestruck by the sight of the mountains for which my country is so revered.
I know the peaks capture the attention of climbers the world over, but as a boy growing up in the foothills of the Himalayas, we had that wonderment too. We were brought up on stories of Tenzing and Hillary, and we’d also have headaches and the water would taste weird. Yes, the locals are not immune to altitude sickness either.
The backdrop was rugged beauty but life wasn’t entirely straightfor- ward. As is often customary in our culture, I was forced into an arranged marriage at 11 years old and as a young boy didn’t understand or want to be thrust into that situation. Regrets being futile, it made me the person I am today. I can’t change it. And, honestly, I wouldn’t change it.
The one thing that did change it though was a successful attempt to join the Gurkhas as one of 230 recruited from over 12,000 applicants in 1999. At 19 years old I began a career that over the next decade
What else was there to do but climb Everest? This is his story...
Everest Summit (Credit Shantanepaliproductions)
Hari Budha Magar
would include roles such as sniper, covert surveillance, combat medic, pioneer, section commander and Multiple 2IC. It taught me many things and it’s hard to put into words how much of an honour representing the Gurkhas is. The best way to sum it up is like this: The Nepalese people are proud of three things: Everest, Nepal being the birthplace of Lord Budha and being the home of the Gurkhas.
6 ‹ ARMY MOUNTAINEER