Sunday, 24 August 2025
Sunday, 24 August 2025
The sun was sinking over a rugged Rwandan hillside when Nehru Deswal stopped pedalling. His legs were burning after 150 kilometres on the saddle, the road ahead still climbing into the clouds. Around him, children gathered, curious about the lone cyclist who had appeared in their village.
He smiled, pulled a small sapling from his pack, and knelt down to plant it.
“This is Bharat,” he said to the kids. The children laughed, repeating the name as if it were a new game. To Deswal, it is more than just a tree. It is India, rooted in foreign soil, a living marker of his impossible journey.
At 34, Deswal is attempting a world tour by bicycle. Alone, self-funded, and carrying little more than a tent, a stove, and the tricolour flag, he has already cycled through 26 countries and nearly 30,000 kilometres. But this is not just adventure for adventure’s sake—it is his mission to connect nations through the simple act of planting a tree.
Two years ago, Deswal was doing a government job in Haryana. It was a life worth keeping—secure, stable, and respected. Yet the restlessness never left him.
“It was not easy,” he said to The Telegraph Online. “Everyone told me I was making a mistake. A government job means security, respect, and stability. But I wanted a bigger challenge—something meaningful for me and for the world.”
In 2022, he walked away from it all. With his savings, a sturdy touring bike, he set out from his hometown of Sonipat, promising his family that he would return soon, marry, and settle down. That promise was what finally earned him their blessing.
Everywhere he goes, Deswal plants a tree. Not any tree—each sapling he names “Bharat.”
“It is my way of leaving India behind in every country,” he said. “A tree is life, and if it grows in foreign soil, it will carry the name Bharat with it. That is my gift.”
Finding a place to plant a tree in an unfamiliar country is not always easy. Often, local Indian embassies step in, guiding him to schools, community spaces, or parks where the sapling will be nurtured. “It must survive. That is the point,” he explained.
Deswal has pedalled across South and Southeast Asia—India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore—and into Africa, where he has cycled through Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi already with Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa coming next.
Each country has offered both hardship and wonder. “Rwanda was unforgettable,” he recalled. “The landscapes were tough, the climbs were endless, but the warmth of the people made every kilometre worth it.”
When asked about hospitality, he smiles: “Laos was the kindest country. People gave me food, water, and shelter without asking for anything in return. I will never forget that generosity.”
Unlike professional adventurers backed by brands, Deswal’s journey is self-funded. He has no sponsors, no crowdfunding, and no corporate banners on his cycle. He survives on an average of $10–20 a day—enough for basic meals, occasional campsite fees, or emergency repairs.
“In Africa, I could manage with this,” he says. “But I know Europe will be different. The costs are much higher there. I am preparing myself for that challenge.”
He often camps by the roadside, cooks vegetarian meals, and fixes his cycle himself. Nights are spent under canvas, listening to the sounds of strange landscapes—the hum of a city, sometimes the cries of animals in the distance.
The statistics of Deswal’s journey are staggering. He has covered up to 80 kilometres in a single stretch without stopping, climbed mountain inclines of 200 metres, and braved searing heat and sudden downpours.
“The body gets tired, but if the mind is strong, you keep going,” he says. “Loneliness is harder than pain. Homesickness can crush you. That’s when I remind myself—this is bigger than me. This is about showing that one person can still make a difference,” Deswal said.
Deswal’s mission has not gone unnoticed. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has extended him a special allowance that helps him cross borders, ensures visas and expedites paperwork. The ministry has also set an upper target for him: to cycle 2,20,000 kilometres across countries over the next 10–12 years.
“When I go to a new country, embassies know who I am, and they support me in finding a place to plant a tree or help me cross borders without problems,” he said.
By October this year, Deswal will complete the African stretch of his odyssey in South Africa. From there, he will fly to Paris to begin the European leg of his world to2
“Europe is another world. But the journey is not about the destination—it is about the road, the people, the trees I leave behind. As long as I have strength, I will continue,” said Deswal.
