12-Year-Old Delhi Boy Takes On 13-Day Cycling Challenge To Honor Kargil Soldiers

On July 26, 12-year-old Arav Bhardwaj from Delhi will start a 1,200 km cycling journey from the Kargil War Memorial in Ladakh to the National War Memorial in Delhi. The journey, which will take 13 days, is in honor of the fallen heroes of the Kargil War, marking its 25th anniversary. Arav, a standard 8th student, will be accompanied by his father, Dr. Atul Bhardwaj, a spine surgeon, while his grandfather, MS Bhardwaj, a 66-year-old advocate, will follow them in a support vehicle.

Arav has been preparing for this journey for two years, recently increasing his training intensity to cycling 90 km a day with ankle weights. The three generations are set to start their days at 5 AM, covering as much distance as possible and staying at government guest houses, army accommodations, and roadside dhabas.

Arav, inspired by stories of India’s freedom struggle and war heroes, has expressed a desire to join the defense services. He previously completed a 2,612 km cycle journey from the INA Museum in Manipur to Delhi’s National War Memorial at the age of 10. This upcoming journey is another step in his efforts to pay tribute to India’s heroes.

Arav shared to HindustanTimes that he hopes that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off his cycling journey. He told , “I’ve been preparing for this for the past two years. Over the last three months, my dad and I have been gradually increasing the distance we cycle, now reaching around 90 km a day with ankle weights.”