Nepali climber Nirmal Purja returns to Kathmandu a hero after setting new climbing record Nirmal Purja is welcomed by friends and supporters as he returns to Kathmandu after smashing the speed record by summiting the world's 14 highest peaks in just six months and six days. The previous record for climbing the 14 mountains above 8,000 metres (around 26,250 feet) was almost eight years. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES