Assam's Para-Cyclist Rakesh Banik Gears Up To Embark On 9,000-km Expedition From Russia To Guwahati

GUWAHATI: Rakesh Banik, a paracyclist hailing from Assam's Nagaon district, is set to create history by embarking on a 9000-km long journey that will commence from Russia's capital city of Moscow with the final destination set for Guwahati. Banik's long voyage will be India's first long-distance attempt by a specially abled cyclist.

With the support of his family and friends, he will undertake the four-month long ‘Volga to Brahmaputra' expedition that will cover the Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Tibet, Nepal on its way before entering Siliguri.

Speaking about the expedition, the para-cyclist said that his journey will be officially flagged off from the Indian embassy in Russia in the first week of April.

Rakesh Banik described his journey as a means to break barriers and prove that there is no challenge that is too daunting to overcome. He exuded pride in representing Assam and India. He also expressed his eagerness to inspire others to embrace adventure, fitness and perseverance.

He shared a harrowing ordeal that completely changed his life forever and which brought him to explore the field of adventure sports. The para-cyclist revealed that he met with a serious road accident in 2012 when he was travelling from Biswanath Chariali to his hometown of Kaliabor.

Subsequently, he was admitted to a private hospital in Guwahati for treatment. However, his leg had to be amputated due to a medical error.

This unfortunate event took a huge toll on his mental health as he went through severe depression, confessing that he was overwhelmed by suicidal thoughts as well.

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