In an extraordinary feat of determination and passion, 18-year-old Abhilakh Handique, hailing from Borbil village under the Tinkhong constituency in Dibrugarh, along with a friend from the same village, recently accomplished a remarkable feat by completing an extraordinary journey from Dibrugarh to Leh, Ladakh, and back, all on their bicycles.
Abhilakh, who had recently passed his Higher Secondary (HS) exam, set out on this daring adventure with his friend, covering a challenging distance of 4130 kilometers in just 44 days on their trusty bicycles. However, due to adverse weather conditions, including snowfall that blocked their path, the journey took a total of 54 days.
Initially, Abhilakh embarked on cycling expeditions by himself, gradually gaining the support of friends who joined him. His parents, who were initially apprehensive, have since encouraged his passion for cycling after witnessing his successful trips.
Abhilakh, an avid cycling enthusiast, has been exploring new and distant places by bicycle for the last two years. He has already cycled through various regions of Northeast India, including all but only three districts of Assam, as well as neighboring Nagaland and even ventured to Mayodia in Arunachal Pradesh. However, this journey to Leh marked the first time he cycled to a destination beyond the Northeastern region of India.
The journey to Leh presented numerous challenges, particularly after reaching Jammu and Kashmir, where the hilly terrain made the expedition strenuous. Abhilakh and his friend were not using specialized sports cycles but the classic, old-generation bicycles.
One of the primary goals of this daring expedition was to promote the importance of nature conservation and encourage cycling as a part of everyday life. The duo hopes to dispel the common misconception that old-generation bicycles are obsolete. They want to emphasize that even on such traditional bicycles, long and challenging journeys are possible.
Abhilakh believes that, if they can complete a 4000-kilometer journey on classic bicycles, anyone can use these bikes for shorter commutes, thereby promoting a healthier lifestyle and reducing dependency on motor vehicles for short distances.
This remarkable journey was planned nearly 1.5 years ago, and Abhilakh Handique and his friend received support and encouragement from Assam Cabinet Minister Bimal Borah, who also provided financial assistance and helped in obtaining the necessary permissions and approvals. Seniors and peers from the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) also sanctioned and supported their endeavor.
Throughout their journey, the duo made stops at dhabas and hotels for meals and carried essential supplies, including tents, puncture repair kits, and tire pumps. The total expenditure for the entire journey was estimated to be around Rs. 1 lakh. Although Abhilakh has plans for future expeditions, nothing has been finalized yet.
This remarkable journey of the duo stands as an inspiration for everyone, and as a testament to their skill, passion and unwavering determination.
๐๐จ๐ญ๐ : ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ฐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ก๐๐๐ฑ๐, ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐, ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ
