KATHMANDU: Adaptive mountaineer and disability rights advocate Hari Budha Magar has completed the Seven Summits, becoming the first person with a double above-knee amputation to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents. He achieved the milestone after successfully summiting Mount Vinson (4,892 metres), the highest mountain in Antarctica, on January 6, 2026.

Addressing journalists at an interaction programme in Kathmandu on Sunday, Magar said the world-record journey that began with Mount Everest had now come to a close with the completion of the Seven Summits challenge. He returned to Nepal directly from Antarctica to share the achievement, accompanied by his guide Mingma Sherpa and official photojournalist Abiral Rai.

A former British Gurkha soldier from Rolpa, Magar said the achievement was a moment of pride not only for him but for Nepal and the global disability community. He said the campaign, titled “Conquering Dreams – 7 Summits,” was undertaken to raise awareness about disability and to inspire people facing physical and social barriers to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams.

Magar lost both his legs above the knee in 2010 after an explosion while serving in Afghanistan. He told the gathering that rather than giving up after the injury, he chose to give his life a new direction. He said his journey showed that disability should not limit the size of one’s dreams or the ability to achieve them, but only requires different ways of doing things.

He said the Seven Summits campaign involved years of preparation, including rigorous training, the development of specialised prosthetic legs, fundraising, and arranging technical equipment for extreme environments. The final ascent of Mount Vinson, he said, tested the team against extreme cold, fierce winds and challenging terrain, pushing their physical and mental limits.

Magar said his motivation for climbing mountains was not fame, business or personal gain, but solely to spread disability awareness. He said misconceptions about disability persist not only in Nepal but worldwide, and changing perceptions requires sustained effort. Through his climbs, he aims to send a message to people with disabilities, their families, institutions and governments that, with the right support and attitude, people with disabilities can live happy, successful and meaningful lives.

As part of the interaction, Magar outlined two core objectives of his advocacy: helping persons with disabilities gain confidence in their own abilities, and encouraging society and authorities to support people with disabilities without discrimination. He also expressed hope that his achievement would carry a positive message about Nepal and Nepalis to the international community.

Magar’s Seven Summits journey began with Mont Blanc in 2019, followed by Kilimanjaro, Everest, Denali, Aconcagua and Carstensz Pyramid, before culminating at Mount Vinson this month. With the completion of the challenge, he has joined an elite group of climbers worldwide to have scaled all seven continental high points—while standing alone as the first double above-knee amputee to do so.

He thanked his team, family, friends, supporters and partner organisations for their role in the journey and called on the media to help amplify the message that “nothing is impossible” when determination, adaptation and support come together.