Bengaluru: At a time when many auto drivers in Bengaluru refuse to travel from one part of the city to another citing long distances, 35-year-old Balakrishna Mohan decided to take his auto much farther — all the way to Ladakh. Over 24 days, he covered approximately 7,500km, climbed some of the region’s highest passes and reached Umling La, one of the highest motorable stretches in the world at 19,024ft.“I used to see videos of different types of vehicles, including autos from other states, at Umling La. I wanted to represent Karnataka,” he said. He claims his is the first autorickshaw from Bengaluru to reach Umling La and return home.Balakrishna spent a few weeks preparing for the journey. He sold his auto and bought a second-hand one, changing its registration plate from yellow to white as it was meant for private use. He decided against modifications, having already taken a loan and wanting to avoid unnecessary expenses. With a tent, sleeping bag and other essentials packed, he was flagged off by friends and well-wishers from Vidhana Soudha on Aug 1.“I took the Hyderabad route. From there I went through Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Agra, Jammu & Kashmir, and then to Leh,” he said. From Leh, he headed to Khardung La and planned to proceed to Nubra, but a landslip forced him to turn back. He then travelled to Pangong Lake and Chang La before proceeding to Hanle and finally Umling La.“The moment I arrived there was one of the happiest moments of my life. I had never thought I would be able to do it in my autorickshaw,” he said. “On my way, I saw so many vehicles that had fallen in ditches and thought, ‘What am I doing?’ But somehow, my auto and I ended up climbing the pass.”For Balakrishna, the expedition was also about putting Karnataka on the map. “Many there did not know about our state. It felt good to educate them about our wonderful state,” he said. He also scaled Chang La and Fotu La passes.The adventure came with mishaps. Near Umling La, he lost his way in the rain and travelled 13km in the wrong direction, almost reaching a restricted border area, before locals helped him back. To save money, he had initially planned to pitch his tent at petrol pumps, but after encountering thieves, he switched to dormitories and hostels. Vehicle breakdowns were another challenge.His auto runs on CNG, but from Jammu onwards he had to rely on petrol as there were no CNG stations along the route. He credited army personnel and fellow Kannadigas in Ladakh for helping him through difficult stretches.“Our army personnel guided me everywhere, from navigation to helping me make the hardest turns. Any Kannadiga I met there also gave me their number and told me to contact them if I needed help,” he said.
Balakrishna Mohan, 35, the auto driver
On his way back, Balakrishna travelled through Himachal Pradesh, drove through the Atal Tunnel and reached Bengaluru on Aug 24, completing approximately 7,500km. “It was different from what I had imagined. If my health had permitted, I’d have even covered Kanyakumari and come,” he said.Originally from Mysuru, Balakrishna lives in Sarjapur with his wife and two children. He has been driving autos since 2011 and hopes his adventures will inspire his children. His next adventure is already taking shape, and he hopes a philanthropist will help him undertake the journey.
