Whether you’re active on social media or not, you are likely to have heard British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja’s or Nims Dai’s iconic words: “Giving up is not in the blood, sir; it’s not in the blood.” The line, spoken during his historic 2019 Project Possible expedition, inspired millions. Following 43-year-old Purja’s death in the Broad Peak avalanche on the world’s 12th-highest mountain in the Karakoram range on July 30, Mahim-based mountaineer Parth Upadhyay, who was his close friend, discusses the realities of high-altitude climbing and the lessons every mountaineer should know.

Have a mountain mindset

>> Progress gradually: Gain experience on 5000 to 6000-metres peaks before attempting an 8000-metre mountain. Smaller expeditions build confidence and judgement.