My Story: 'I Felt On Top Of The World With My Motorcycle And Cried After Reaching Umlinga La Pass'

I spent my childhood like an ordinary girl. I was born in a poor tribal family in Seraikela, Jharkhand. I did my schooling in Kharagpur and moved to Bangalore, where I studied pharmacy from MS Ramaiah College.

I have been interested in riding a motorcycle since childhood. When I used to see boys riding motorcycles in my village, it ignited my interest. It was then that I decided to learn to ride a bike when I grew up.

When I expressed this desire to my parents, they became uncomfortable. It took a lot of time to convince them. After a lot of insistence, he agreed to let me ride a scooter but not a motorcycle. Our society thinks that motorcycles are for boys and scooters for girls. The same thinking prevailed in my family as well.

Nonetheless, that did not stop me from pursuing my passion. I moved to Delhi in 2019 as I got selected in the Municipal Corporation. I worked as a clinical pharmacist in the health department. As soon as I got my first salary, the very first thing I did was buy a Suzuki motorcycle by taking a loan. One of my seniors helped me learn how to ride a bike. My first solo ride was to Agra, and I drove to the city through the expressway. After that, I travelled to many plains and hilly areas, including Rajasthan, UP, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Leh Ladakh.

'Felt On Top Of The World'

For some time, I have been a great fan of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) work. I came to know about them constructing Umlingala Pass, the highest motorable road in the world at 19,024 feet.

I wanted to thank the Jawans for their extraordinary work. Therefore, I decided to go on a solo motorcycle expedition. I submitted my proposal to BRO's Director-General, Lt. General Rajeev Chaudhary. He supported me a lot, after which the idea was up and running. I felt fortunate when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the expedition.

During the ride, the main challenge I faced was the weather. It used to change every few minutes. Sometimes it's cold; cloudy conditions and snowfall can happen anytime you can't guess it. In high altitude mountains, the risk of avalanches is prevalent. I met many engineers, jawans and labourers engaged in road construction in Ladakh. They work by living in the worst weather and under challenging conditions. The Border Roads Organization's jawans work day and night even in the inaccessible mountains.

After scaling 17 passes, I rode to the Umlinga La Pass. No one biker or civilian has reached there before me. Finally, I was on top of the world with my motorcycle and cried after getting the Umlinga La Pass. Border Roads Organisation had officially organized a flag hoisting ceremony at the destination. The Director-General allowed me to hoist the tricolour on their behalf. I felt incredibly proud.

At present, I have driven only in the border areas of Uttarakhand, Himachal and Ladakh. In the next step, I have to travel by bike on their roads in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. The Border Roads Organization has also built friendship roads in Bhutan, Myanmar and Kazakhstan.

I could not be more thankful to the Border Roads Organisation, especially Lt. Gen Rajeev Chaudhary, for this opportunity. I want to tell the girls to break all the stereotypes and pursue their goals only. Don't let anyone else judge your abilities.

If you too have an inspiring story to tell the world, send us your story at mystory@thelogicalindian.com