From Sarjapur to Umling La, Balakrishna Mohan drove his auto 7,500km

Balakrishna Mohan set off from Vidhana Soudha on August 1 with a tent, sleeping bag and a second-hand autorickshaw. Twenty-four days later, the 35-year-old Sarjapur resident returned to Bengaluru after driving about 7,500km to Ladakh’s Umling La, at 19,024ft, and back.

Mohan, originally from Mysuru, travelled via Hyderabad, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Agra, Jammu and Kashmir, and Leh. From there, he crossed Chang La and Fotu La, visited Pangong Lake and Hanle, and reached Umling La. A landslip on the route towards Nubra forced him to turn back.

Near Umling La, rain sent him 13km off course towards a restricted border area before local residents guided him back. His CNG-powered auto also had to run on petrol from Jammu onward, where CNG stations were unavailable. After thieves disrupted his plan to camp at petrol pumps, he began using dormitories and hostels.

Mohan said Army personnel helped him navigate difficult stretches, while Kannadigas he met in Ladakh offered contact numbers for support. He claims to be the first Bengaluru autorickshaw driver to complete the journey to Umling La and return. His next road trip, he said, will depend on finding financial support.