“Growing up in Telangana, visiting the coast was always a special experience for me. Over time, that inspired me to start exploring India’s coastline on a bicycle. I believe India’s diversity is best understood through slow travel. When you cycle or walk, you notice subtle changes in food, language, culture, and people that are easy to miss otherwise.

My name is Kaushik. It all started in Nalgonda after I finished my BTech. With most of my friends moving to Hyderabad, I found myself with a lot of free time. Looking for a hobby, I bought a Btwin Hybrid cycle with my first salary. What began as a pastime soon became a mental exercise that kept me disciplined, consistent, and physically fit.

I have one rule during my rides: every kilometer must be completed by cycling or walking. No towing, no shortcuts.

Over the years, the road has introduced me to people and experiences I’ll never forget. In Odisha, a beachside resort hosted me for an entire day after hearing about my ride. In Karnataka, I stayed in temples and camps near places like Malpe and Maravanthe, where a river flows alongside the sea.

As I travelled along the coast, I was saddened by the amount of litter on many beaches. Since then, I’ve made it a habit to spend some time collecting trash after every ride.

In Gokarna, local schoolchildren joined me during a cleanup, which remains one of my favorite memories. Sometimes I come across hazardous waste like medical disposables, and dealing with them isn’t easy when you’re travelling light with only basic gear, but I do whatever I can.

Balancing these rides with work takes planning. I usually start cycling at sunrise, reach my destination by midday, log in for work, and spend part of my evenings exploring or cleaning beaches. I plan my trips well in advance using Google Maps and advice from locals, while staying flexible if something doesn’t feel right.

Not every ride goes as planned. I’ve encountered wild animals near Konark and dealt with suspicious locals in parts of West Bengal. But those experiences are part of travelling and have never reduced my love for it.

One of the most recent coastline rides I did was along Kerala’s coast with my friends, Likith and Harsha. One of the things I enjoy most about cycling is watching how culture, food, language, and people gradually change from one region to another.

Fort Kochi left me awestruck. Seeing Jewish synagogues, churches, temples, and mosques coexist within the same city was a reminder of the diversity that exists across our country. Reaching Kanyakumari and watching the sunset after days on the road is another memory I’ll always carry with me.

One of the most rewarding parts of all this has been seeing friends get inspired by my rides. Some of them now ask to join me, and that makes me just as happy as the travel itself.

Cycling is where I think the most and where I get my best ideas. To anyone thinking about starting a fitness journey, I’d say this: lifting weights is satisfying, but once in a while, pick up a bicycle and go on a 20-kilometer ride. I’m sure you’ll end up having a heartfelt conversation with yourself.”❤️🚴‍♂️