C. M. Paul
Siliguri, Feb 19, 2026: A team of differently abled riders from Kerala is on a 12,000-km journey across India, Nepal, and Bhutan to create awareness of accessibility.
The mission features two wheelchair users with mobility impairments, accompanied by three escorts. Their vehicles—a retrofitted TVS Scooty and a TATA Nano—have been specially adapted to ensure independence and safety on the road.
The ride is led by P.A. Sooraj of New Delhi, who drives the scooter with his wife Soumya, and K. Ragesh of Kasaragod, who travels in the Nano with his brother and cousin. Sooraj sustained a spinal cord (L1) injury 14 years ago while trying to save someone in a road accident, while Ragesh has survived a spinal cord tumour (C6) which paralysed him 16 years ago.
Sooraj, recipient of the Kerala State Role Model Award 2024, and Ragesh, winner of the Sanchara Sahityam Award 2026 for his travelogue Ayanam, are spearheading the Tri-Nation Accessibility Awareness Ride, a 60-day campaign for inclusive mobility.
“The initiative seeks to highlight the urgent need for disability-friendly public infrastructure and transport policies,” said Sooraj, now based in New Delhi. He added: “Mobility is not a privilege—it is our right. Roads must belong to everyone, regardless of ability.”
Ragesh emphasized: “Accessibility is not about sympathy. It is about dignity, independence, and equal opportunity. This ride is our way of telling society that inclusion begins with mobility.”
For Soumya, the journey is deeply personal: “We call it a survival safari. Every kilometer reminds us that persons with disabilities can lead from the front when given the chance.”
Having already traversed nearly 7,000 km from Kerala through Northeast India and Bhutan, the riders are now bound for Nepal before returning home by March 15—hoping their Tri‑Nation journey will secure a place in the Guinness World Records.
Crossing three nations, the ride stands as both a solidarity mission and a statement of rights—embodying courage, fraternity, and determination, while reminding communities that inclusion begins with accessibility.