KATHMANDU: After conquering some of the world’s highest mountains, record-holding climber and former British Gurkha Hari Budha Magar is turning his latest achievement into an appeal for people affected by Nepal’s recent flash floods.

Magar has released his book, Conquering Dreams, chronicling his journey from losing both legs above the knee to becoming the first double above-knee amputee to summit Mount Everest and complete the Seven Summits.

He has pledged to donate 100 per cent of his royalties from 1,000 copies of the book to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund in Nepal. Stanford’s Book Shop has also agreed to donate 10 per cent of his book sales, according to Magar.

The appeal has a personal significance for the former Gurkha. Rasuwa, one of the districts badly affected by the recent flash floods, was where he first tested himself to determine whether he could climb Everest.

He later trekked through Langtang Valley, trained for winter climbing at Jang-La Pass and returned to Dhunche two years ago for a Gurkha Welfare Trust medical camp.

“Some places become part of your story. For me, Rasuwa is one of them,” Magar said, recalling how a teahouse where he once stayed in Syabrubesi was completely washed away in the floods.

More than 1,000 people have lost their lives and thousands remain missing or displaced, he said. He also noted that three separate landslides in his home district of Rolpa killed 18 people and left others missing and injured.

“The mountains taught me that the biggest challenges can't be faced alone,” Magar said.

A journey beyond Everest

In Conquering Dreams, Magar recounts the mindset and purpose behind his mountaineering journey and his efforts to challenge perceptions of what people with disabilities can achieve.

His Seven Summits journey began with Mont Blanc in 2019 and continued through Kilimanjaro, Everest, Denali, Aconcagua and Carstensz Pyramid before culminating with Mount Vinson in Antarctica in January 2026.

The Vinson ascent completed his Seven Summits challenge and made him the first double above-knee amputee to achieve the feat.

Magar, who was born in Rolpa, lost both legs above the knee in an explosion while serving in Afghanistan in 2010. He later returned to mountaineering and in 2023 became the first double above-knee amputee to summit Everest.

The book, he says, is ultimately about more than his own achievements.

His message is to encourage people to confront the “mountains” in their own lives, persevere through difficult periods and have the courage to pursue their dreams.

“Dreams are unlimited; we conquer one, then another pops up,” Magar says.

Conquering Dreams is currently available through Amazon and Waterstones.