She could not see the path, but she walked all the way to Everest Base Camp

Bengaluru: The Tinkesh Ability Foundation (TAF) has announced the completion of India's largest inclusive trek to Everest Base Camp, marking a historic milestone in inclusive adventure and accessibility.

Priyanka Agrawal, a software engineer from Bengaluru who is visually impaired, has become the second visually impaired woman from India to trek to the Everest Base Camp and the first from Karnataka to do so. She and her husband Dimpesh Bhatewara, a non-disabled participant on the trek, became India's first inter-abled couple to complete the iconic trek.

The expedition brought together a diverse group of participants, including, for the first time from India, a wheelchair user on a high-altitude Himalayan trek.

Speaking to DH, Priyanka described the achievement as a "life-changing" experience. "It is unbelievable. It took me four months of yoga, walking and climbing exercise and training prior to the trek. I was in two minds whether to go or not, but the organisers gave me the confidence to go ahead. It is an exhilarating experience," she said.

The team comprised six people with disabilities: Tinkesh, a triple amputee and world record holder; Rupinder Kaur, a wheelchair user; Sameer Deshmukh, an above-knee amputee; Vikas Patel, a below-knee amputee; Dipendra Singh, an arm amputee; and Priyanka Agrawal, who is visually impaired.

They were accompanied by seven non-disabled participants — Vishal D'Costa, Cecille Rodrigues, Sydenstrica Gautam, Sudhakar, Kumar, Ayub Ansari, Prasanna Police Reddy and Dimpesh Bhatewara — reinforcing the spirit of collaboration and inclusion.

The trek was led by Tinkesh Kaushik, National Awardee, world record holder, triple amputee, and Founder of TAF.