PANAJI
In a moving tribute to courage, resilience, and the spirit of inclusion, the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Goa, felicitated the extraordinary organisers and participants from the state who were part of India’s largest inclusive trek team to successfully summit the Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) in Nepal.
Led by Tinkesh Kaushik, world’s first triple amputee to scale Everest Base Camp, the expedition was organised by the Goa-based Tinkesh Ability Foundation (TAF) in partnership with Advait Outdoors. The trek has been hailed as a major milestone in India’s disability inclusion movement.
“This journey is more than a physical achievement”it is a powerful symbol of what persons with disabilities can accomplish when provided equal opportunity and support,” said Guruprasad Pawaskar, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Goa.
Among the trailblazing trekkers were: Ritesh Vaigankar from Goa, with 88% disability, who covered the 75 km trek to ABC in just four days, Rachit, an arm amputee and cancer survivor from Pune, Govind from Udaipur, born with a short arm, Dipendra from Jaipur, an arm amputee, Nithin from Bangalore, an above-knee amputee
They were supported by a team of able-bodied allies, symbolizing true inclusion, and guided by Lalit Yadav, founder of Advait Outdoors.
Following the trek, four participants, including Tinkesh, took on The Cliff in Nepal, completing a daring 228-meter swing bungee jump. Tinkesh made history again, becoming the world’s first triple amputee to achieve the feat, breaking his previous 165-meter record.
“This wasn’t just about reaching Annapurna”it was about proving that inclusion in adventure is not a dream, but a reality,” said Tinkesh.
