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By Paritosh Pramanik
Julu 25, 2015
HE IS only 20 but what Ankit Rajesh Bihari did is hardly attempted by those much older to his age. Ankit, fondly called ‘Lucky’, attempted an unimaginable, difficult, tiresome, fearful, adventurous and enterprising trek and reached the highest peak in a memorable 10 days journey.
The lanky BBA final year student of Tirpude College, pedaled all the way from Manali to Khardungla top in an absorbing, frightening 10 days sojourn to become the first cyclist from Vidarbha to do so.
It was not an easy cycling trek for the son of Rajesh Bihari, who is a South East Central Railway employee and a former hockey player. The senior Bihari was never afraid of challenges on hockey field. His son, Ankit followed his father’s footstep, though in different field, to scale ‘a much greater height’.
Ankit, who is a member of Saddle-ups Cycling Group, decided to scale the ‘Everest’ by cycling up to Khardungla pass, the highest motorable road in the world at 18,380 ft.
Ankit was truly ‘lucky’ in this life threatening cycling sojourn as this was for the first time he took the expedition.
“Mohit Kapur from Jaipur was my partner for this expedition but he had to leave mid-way as he could not withstand the low oxygen pressure,” Ankit told ‘The Hitavada.’
With Mohit leaving the excursion midway, Ankit was all alone without shelter, food and water. Fighting bouts of nervousness, he decided to complete the task on his own.
“We completed our excursion together till Darcha but Mohit’s health worsened. We took one night halt at Darcha and started our journey next morning. Mohit was riding at a slow pace and I left him far behind. Some travellers informed me that Mohit had blood in his vomit and he is laying on the road. I returned and took help from army jawans. I told him to meet me at Sarchu check post.
“But when I reached Sarchu he was not there. Later, I met him at Pang. He was returning home. I came to know that he was admitted in ICU by Army men as his oxygen level was too low. After staying at hospital for two days, Mohit decided to return to Manali,” recalled Ankit.
“I had given my tent and ration to Mohit and had nothing left with me. I met two more cyclists who, too, were going to Khardungla. I shared their tents and food. But losing a partner was a big blow for my confidence,” Ankit recalled.
In fact, Ankit said, the start itself was bad. “We did not get the best possible start. On July 4, the day we started, after a few kilometers, Mohit broke his cycle’s chain. We had to walk for over 5-6 kms to reach a village. Walking with all the luggage was too tiring. One of the travellers helped us and gave us chain of his cycle, with a promise that we would return it back (and we did return it),” said Ankit.
“Once we had to spend a night in the jungle. The night was frightening as there were fears of bears and snow leopards. But we managed and started early next morning,” he said.
But Ankit was determined to complete his expedition.
“For four days I had no contact with my parents. There was no mobile network. Finally, I contacted my parents through one of the army jawans’ phone. They were too worried. They requested me to return. But I was determined. I talked with them for just three minutes and convinced them to let me complete my task.”
During his 10-day journey from Manali to Khardungla which is over 600 kms, Ankit passed through Rohtang, Lachung La, Baralacha, Tang Lang La passes before reaching the peak.
Ankit’s journey to the top was delayed by one day as the road to Khardungla was closed due to heavy snow fall.
“On July 13, we came to know that there were landslides due to heavy snowfall and rains and we had to stay for a day at Leh. For the first time I witnessed landslides. It was more frustrating. I was almost there but could not complete my excursion,” said Ankit, who also played hockey for Vidarbha.
The next morning Ankit, with his new friends (Shahil and Virender from Punjab), started the last stretch. By 5 in the evening they finally reached Khardungla.
“It was like a dream come true. I could not explain how happy I was. It was like reaching to the top of the world. I visited Shiv Mandir at Khardungla top, stayed there for an hour and then returned to Leh at around 6 pm,” said Ankit.
“I am more happy because my excursion was injury free. I never felt the need of oxygen whereas there where people who carried oxygen cylinders and pumps. Above all, I completed this task alone despite having organisations who help you in reaching the peak. But I performed it all alone, that’s more satisfying,” Ankit concluded.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, July 22, 2015
THERE is a touch of Abhimanyu in her success story. Like the Mahabharat hero acquired the war skills of Chakravyuha in his mother Subhadra’s womb, city’s prodigy Mrudul Dehankar, too, learned her first chess lessons in her mother Archana’s womb.
Today, after 11 years, Mrudul Vilas Dehankar is breaking many such Chakravyuhas, winning titles at national and international levels. She has added another crown, the Under-11 National Chess Championship, to her already overcrowded cupboard, at Pondicherry, Tuesday.
The BVM Trimurti Nagar branch’s standard VI student chess prodigy pipped another rising star and her practice-mate from Nagpur Divya Deshmukh to clinch the title.
Mrudul garnered 10.5 points out of 11 with a staggering 10 victories and a draw while Divya secured 9.5 points.
“Mrudul’s mother Archana was doing PhD in 2004. She was preparing a chess programme when Mrudul was in her womb. Mrudul might have learned chess then only,” revealed an elated Vilas while talking to ‘The Hitavada’ from Chennai on Tuesday.
An MSEB assistant executive engineer at Chandrapur Thermal Power Station, Vilas stated that they had to ‘struggle’ for around two years to learn about Mrudul’s interest in chess.
“First we put her at a basketball coaching camp when she was around five years old. But she showed no interest in learning the cagers’ tricks.
“Then, during one summer vacations, we sent her to Adv Arvind Bade sir who used to conduct chess coaching at his home,” recalled the proud father.
“Bade sir saw the spark in her and convinced us to put her in playing chess,” added Dehankar.
This is not first title for Mrudul, who is also excellent in studies. She has recently won gold medal at Commonwealth Chess Championship at New Delhi. Prior to this, she also clinched National Schools’ games gold medal (in April) and SGFI gold medal (in May) at Selam in Tamil Nadu.
Mrudul has also represented country and won gold medal (in blitz) at the Asian School Chess Championship held at Singapore. In the classical event, she had to settle with silver medal.
Mrudul is also selected in the Indian team which will participate in Asian Youth Championship at Singapore from August 1-12. After that she would be donning India colours in World Youth Chess Championship in Greece in October.
Despite the remarkable exploits Mrudul and her parents are still struggling for financial help to keep her globetrotting going.
“We are very proud that our daughter is winning medals for city, state and country but at the same time we feel very sorry that nobody comes forward to help us financially,” said Vilas.
“We have to spend lakhs of rupees from our pocket. At South Africa World Youth Championship we had to spend around Rs 3 lakh. Every international tournament costs at least Rs 2 lakh,” he added.
Funding her tours gets really difficult for Vilas and Archana, assistant professor at Priyadarshini College of Engineering.
Vilas said that there are provisions in government department but the process is too lengthy and tedious.
Appealing to the business community and State Government, he cited the example of Sharang Kapoor. The city player moved his base to Gujarat a few months ago. He won a chess title and the Gujarat Government rewarded him with Rs 10 lakh and a scholarship of the same amount.
“Why can’t this happen in Maharashtra,” Vilas Dehankar asked.
Much like Abhimanyu there are some stages of this financial Chakravyuha that even Mrudul will find difficult to break.
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A fast learner: Mrudul’s coach Gurpreet
GURPREET Singh Maras, himself a renowned chess player of the city, and current coach of Mrudul Dehankar and Divya Deshmukh said Mrudul is a very fast learner.
Gurpreet, who works with Ordnance Factory, said he is very proud that two of his pupils secured top spots at national championship.
“I’m very happy that both Mrudul and Divya won first and second spots. Both are very talented and deserve it,” he said.
On Mrudul he said, “she is a very fast learner. Though I don’t coach her daily, whenever I give her tips she understands well and implements it in her game. I never have to repeat any move or any instruction to her,” said Gurpreet.
“Both Mrudul and Divya will win many more titles in coming years. They fight hard against each other. They don’t give even an inch’s space even during practising,” he said.
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Sadhwani ends 4th
Another Nagpur player, Raunak Sadhwani of Centre Point School, was unlucky as he missed the podium finishing fourth. Though he finished 4th, his score (7.5) was same as that of those who stood second and third in final rankings.
However, because of Buchols tie breaker system Raunak had to be content with fourth spot.
