Renowned climber Nirmal Purja faces allegations of sexual harassment

KATHMANDU, June 1: Record-breaking mountaineer Nirmal Purja, popularly known as Nimsdai, has been accused of sexual harassment by two female climbers.

The allegations were reported by The New York Times on Friday. One of the women, former Miss Finland Lotta Hintsa, claimed that Purja made unwanted sexual advances toward her, including kissing and touching her private parts, during a meeting in Kathmandu on March 30, 2023.

According to the report, Purja invited Hintsa to his hotel suite at the Marriott in Kathmandu to discuss collaborating on an expedition she was organizing. Hintsa alleged that during the meeting, Purja led her to the bed and began removing her clothes despite her refusals. "I was frozen and confused as he led me to the bed. I refused and continued to say no as he started to remove my clothes. I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience," The New York Times quotes her as saying.

Hintsa had previously mentioned an upsetting incident involving a "very famous male climber" in a memoir published in December but did not name the individual at that time. She has now identified Purja as the person in question.

Hintsa, a professional mountaineer herself, mentioned that Purja's status as an ex-British army man and an influential figure made her hesitant to show agitation in front of him.

Purja declined to comment on the allegations when contacted by The New York Times. However, his lawyer, Philip Kelly, issued a written statement denying the claims, calling them “false and defamatory."

In addition to Hintsa's accusations, Californian Dr. April Leonardo also alleged that Purja repeatedly kissed her without her consent. She claimed that this incident occurred while Purja was guiding her on an ascent of Mount K2, the second-highest peak in the world. Purja's lawyer has denied her allegations too.

Nirmal Purja is well-known for helping climbers scale mountains through his guiding company, Elite Expeditions. His clients include high-profile individuals such as Qatari royal family member Asma Al Thani and Russian model Victoria Bonya.