Some journeys don’t begin with big announcements or detailed plans. They start with a simple quiet idea; one that grows slowly, takes shape over time, and then refuses to let go.

A classic example of the same is the story of 29-year-old Jyotishko Biswas, a mountaineering instructor from West Bengal. He wasn’t chasing a record or prize. This journey, as he puts it, was “a test of mental and physical limits.”

It was also a message — about discipline, about possibilities, and about the importance of challenging oneself in a world that often encourages comfort.

‘There is more to life than just scrolling through smartphones’

Jyotishko has been mountaineering and cycling for over six years. “I work as an instructor at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling,” he shares. “I also run a trekking community and often take people to the mountains.”

The idea of cycling from sea level to the base of the world’s tallest mountain was born out of this background in outdoor endurance, but it was more than just a personal challenge.

“I wanted to do something that no Indian had done before, something difficult, something that would push the boundaries of my mental state. And more than anything, I wanted to show the younger generation that there’s more to life than scrolling through phones all day,” he says.

Jyotishko speaks passionately about how physical and mental health are connected. Long-distance cycling demands intense physical strength, yes, but it also requires mental clarity, patience, and resilience. The rhythm of pedalling for hours on end, often through silence or solitude, offers a kind of moving meditation. “When your body is in motion, your thoughts slow down,” he often says.

The challenges of the road — steep climbs, unpredictable weather, or the sheer monotony of empty stretches — mirror the mental hurdles one faces in everyday life.

His mission was not only to reach Everest Base Camp on a cycle but to start conversations about mental resilience, outdoor fitness, and personal growth through discomfort. “I wanted to set an example, not as someone special, but as someone ordinary doing something unusual.”

Cycling also unlocks a rare sense of freedom. With every push of the pedal, the mind begins to untangle itself from clutter, anxiety, or fear. The fresh air, the changing landscapes, the awareness of your breath........

© The Better India