Heroic former Gurkha Hari Budha Magar is celebrating his fifth Guinness World Record today as the first double amputee to climb the Seven Summits of the world. The Pride of Britain winner and brave war veteran called the Mirror as soon as he heard about his latest achievement.
A remarkable journey
Hari, 46, says: “I’m feeling awesome, honoured, so happy. Climbing the world’s highest peaks was incredibly tough. I went through hell and back. There were times I thought we’d have to give up, and other times when our lives were in danger, but I achieved the impossible and I’m over the moon to receive this.”
The most coveted mountaineering achievement involves scaling Mount Everest in Nepal (29,032ft), Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (19,341ft), Denali in Alaska (20,310ft), Aconcagua in Argentina (22,831ft), Vinson Massif in Antarctica (16,050ft), Carstensz Pyramid in New Guinea (16,023ft), and Elbrus in Russia (18,510ft). However, due to Elbrus being inaccessible to Westerners, Hari climbed France's Mont Blanc (15,771ft) instead, which was recognised by Guinness World Records as an alternative.
Overcoming adversity
Hari lost both legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan while serving in the British Army in 2010. Starting his latest challenge in 2019, he conquered his final peak, Mount Vinson, on January 7 this year, planting the Mirror's flag on the summit. His other Guinness World Records include being the first double above-knee amputee to climb Mount Everest in May 2023, the first to climb Denali in June 2024, and the first to climb Puncak Jaya in Indonesia in October 2025.
In 2024, he received the Special Recognition Award at the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards. This year, he will be recognised as one of Guinness World Records ICONS, celebrating winners whose achievements have had a wider impact beyond the record itself.
Inspiring others
Hari, who grew up in a cow shed in Nepal overlooking the mountains Dhaulagiri and Sisne, was one of only 230 people picked from 12,000 applicants to join the Gurkhas. Using prosthetic legs specially created for snow and ice, he says: “My aim is to raise awareness of disability. I want to shout from the rooftops that disability does not define.”
Awarded an MBE in 2024 for his services to disability awareness, Hari lives in Canterbury, Kent, with his wife Urmila and their three children: Samjhana, Brian, and Ublan. He says: “Climbing without my legs is really tough, but I carry on. I do it to prove I can. I was told no so many times.”
Future challenges
Now Hari, whose book Conquering Dreams published by Mirror Books is out in August, has set his sights on new challenges. He says: “Perhaps I could do both Poles. Or maybe I’ll go to the deepest part of the ocean. I’ve never done downwards, only upwards. You never know, I could go to space! I want to inspire as many disabled people as I can, so they can believe they can do the things they love. Disabled people are always told no. But I’m here to tell them yes - you can. I want to empower them. I did this for them. And to the colleagues that risked their lives to save mine when the IED blew up beneath me, thank you - I did this for you too.”
