The Bicycle Mayor of Ranchi

Meet Kanishka Poddar, the Bicycle Mayor of Ranchi, India.

In 2015, Kanishka ran into a woman from Spain who was touring India by bike and thought, “who travels India by bike? That’s insane.” But she inspired him to hop on a bike for the first time in 20 years, and he experienced the sheer joy of exploring places at his own pace.

Fast forward 8 years, and now Kanishka is the Bicycle Mayor of his town, Ranchi. He works closely to connect his community with the government to support bicycling policies and make his country more bicycle friendly. Kanishka has fallen in love with bicycle touring and traveling in slow motion.

Fun facts about Kanishka:

• He climbed some of the highest mountains while cycling in the Himalayas. From cycling in heavy rains to hailstorms and snowfall, he experienced it all while crossing notorious Himalayan passes.
• While touring in Vietnam, he was invited right off the street to attend a wedding. Later he ran into a random 70-year-old man, and even though they didn’t speak the same language, they could communicate.
• When he crossed the border between Thailand and Cambodia, he was almost mugged by immigration officers. He had the worst night in no man’s land between the two countries, but it taught him so much about himself, life, and beyond.

Learn more about Kanishka on his website Veloventure.in. Follow him on Instagram at @kp1200 and on Twitter at @kp1200.

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Today’s episode of Bike Life was hosted by Jerry Kopack, Warmshowers Board member and finance chair.

Theme Music by Les Konley | Produced by Les Konley

Happy riding and hosting!