I had first heard about Nimsdai back in 2019 when he was conquering summits in days while I was gearing up for my first trekking experience. It wasn't much later that I heard that Nimsdai had completed the impossible summits with Project Possible, and I became one of his followers.

This is not a typical review. This is a heartfelt letter to the legendary mountaineer who inspired millions to take up their ice axes and conquer what the world calls "unconquerable". 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible is a documentary that follows Nimsdai's Project Possible up close and personal, into the very life of the man we unfortunately lost on the Broad Peak expedition.

Introduction: The Real Nimsdai

Nirmal Puja was often considered a madman when he told the world his dream. Climbing all 14 8000ers (the mountains above 8000 meters) in a span of 7 months. It had never been done before; it had never been dreamed of before. And yet, for Nirmal Purja, that was exactly the fuel he needed to do the impossible.

14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible starts with Nirmal "Nims" Purja summiting a mountain, but it quickly takes us back to the real Nimsdai without the summits. A humble man, a rebellious kid, and a soldier of the Gurkha regiment, the Netflix documentary overlaps Nimsdai's conquering alongside the mountaineer who was still a kid.

From stories of his mother to showcasing his Gurkha days, the documentary slowly traverses the past and the present while keeping the adrenaline alive with the introduction of Project Possible. However, it isn't till Purja stands at the base camp of Annapurna I that audiences understand the stakes of this mission.

Phase I: How Nimsdai Found Himself on Annapurna I

It all started with Nimsdai's first ascent of Dhaulagiri back in 2014. This was his introduction to the world of 8000ers, and Purja quickly became obsessed. Many times during the documentary, people had questioned his passion and his obsessiveness for Project Possible. Back in 2021, when I had first watched the documentary, even I shared a similar thought as many of his colleagues did: "He's mad".

However, as the documentary weaved through the summits, I realized what he was trying to say with his expeditions. It wasn't for his personal glory or even for Nepal; it was to showcase the sheer force of humans who simply refuse to give up. During the first phase of Project Possible, Nimsdai summits Annapurna I, goes back to rescue a mountaineer, and refuses to give up against the impossible odds.

That was my introduction to what the legendary mountaineer was capable of. Nims quickly passed through Annapurna I, followed by Dhaulagiri, Kanchenjunga, Mount Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu. It was his photo of a crowd at Hillary Step (on Mt. Everest) that made people turn their heads to the commercialization of the mountains and how amateurs had found their way to their doom.

However, Purja never deterred anyone from conquering. He only ensured that everyone was capable enough of summiting the mountain. In his own words,

"The mountain doesn't say you are black, you are white, you are weak, you are strong. It's one rule for everybody. If you give up, you die"

As the peaks unveil themselves, the documentary ensures to highlight the physical and mental toll that he had to endure to be able to complete the first phase of Project Possible.

Phase II: Nimsdai Conquers Broad Peak

This... was a bit of a shocker. Upon hearing the news that Nimsdai had been struck by an avalanche on Broad Peak, I wasn't too concerned. He had done it before; he would do it again. In fact, in 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible, Nims's summit of Broad Peak is completely overshadowed by his sheer determination to summit K2 against daunting odds.

Entering Pakistan, Nirmal Purja summited Nanga Parbat (nicknamed "The Killer Mountain") with quite the speed. Heading into the Karakoram ranges, he quickly found himself face-to-face with Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II. However, it was K2 (a notorious killer) that became one of the major obstacles for the mountaineer.

Opening a way by fixing the ropes, 24 people summited K2 in two days after Nimsdai did, thanks to him and his team (which included Lakpa Dendi Sherpa, Gesman Tamang, Changba Sherpa, and Lapka Temba Sherpa). That was the moment... I witnessed a miracle.

The miracle of a man standing against all odds and refusing to quit until Mother Nature stopped him in his tracks. When Nirmal Purja summited K2, I shared in his joy. Following his summit of K2, Nimsdai reached Broad Peak and quickly summited it too with almost no difficulty. Rewatching the documentary, I felt a sense of dread when Nims was on the summit. Little did he know that the mountain he was standing on would one day be his last.

Phase III: Conquering The Impossible

With his mother's health declining, Nimsdai paused for a breath and took care of her back in Kathmandu. With a miraculous recovery, he set off once again to conquer the remaining 3 peaks that would break the world record of conquering all 14 peaks in a short span of time.

Kicking things off with Manaslu, Purja found that the window to summit Cho Oyu (another 8000er) would be ending in a week. Descending Manaslu, he summited Cho Oyu before making his way back to Manaslu. With the summits being conquered, Nimsdai faced a setback when Shishapangma had been deemed off limits by the government.

Finding support amongst friends and the mountaineering community, Nims Dai was given the green light to summit Shishapangma (the first summit since 2014). At the top of the summit, Purja (and I) felt a sense of fulfillment. Everything that he had set out to do had been conquered. However, there were several things that stayed with me long after the credits rolled.

14 Peaks: A Heartfelt Tribute to Nimsdai

The documentary is filled with wonderful philosophies and ideologies that Nimsdai wanted to share with the world. His famous quotes, such as "Giving up is not in our blood, sir. Not in our blood", his take on the world of mountaineering, and the man that everyone had come to love over the course of six months.

From his loving relationship with his mother to the conquering of peaks (and the odds), 14 Peaks gives something that millions of people around the world deserve to know. It's not over... until it's over. Although I had never met Nimsdai, watching him conquer summits felt like he was my own brother conquering the odds.

Inspiring millions to pick up their ice axes, Nimsdai was never an ordinary mountaineer who wanted to summit 8000ers; it was the story of a man who simply refused to give up. With the end of Project Possible, the documentary ends on a heartfelt note about Nimsdai and the person behind the sunglasses and rucksack.

He was an ordinary man with extraordinary philosophies and the determination to summit it all. Naturally, 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible is a documentary that everyone should watch at least once.

14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible is available to stream on Netflix (USA).

A Personal Note For Nimsdai

This... is probably one of the hardest things that I have ever written. Losing Nimsdai is a loss to the mountaineering community. However, his death was not in vain. Inspiring millions, Nirmal Purja made them turn their heads towards the countless Sherpas and the people with the thrill of mountaineering, who were not stopping until they saw the sun rise over the horizon from the summit.

The mountains lose their charm without you, Purja. The summit view feels empty without your presence. It was an honor to be a part of your journey and to see you conquering mountain after mountain, summit after summit, until the deadly avalanche that took you away from us.

The son of the mountains has finally returned to the mountains. However, we shall carry your spirit in every expedition that we go on. Every summit will feel your presence, and the name of Nimsdai shall forever echo through the valleys and summits of every peak.

Wherever you are, we hope that you are at peace, knowing that you touched countless lives with every step you took on your expeditions. I'd like to end this blog with one of my favorite quotes from Nimsdai that we shall forever carry with us... in our hearts.

"Giving up... is not in our blood, sir. Not in our blood"