Exhibiting an unwavering passion for adventure biking, 20 year old Zaheeb Bhat has etched significant milestones during his extraordinary journey of traversing dangerous paths and conquering unexplored destinations.
A staunch adventure biker, Zaheeb has conquered the world’s highest and most dangerous roads since he embarked on this thrilling journey from a very young age.
Zaheeb’s maiden milestone journey was accomplished when he conquered world’s highest motorable pass Khardung -La, in Ladakh in August 2021 and became the youngest biker to achieve this distinct feat. After scripting the success in this journey, Zaheeb conquered north India riding his motorcycle.
“Adventure, mountain biking is my passion and now my profession as well. I am a professional biker and my love for biking developed when I was in 8th grade at school. To me mountain biking and exploring unseen destinations is a vibe and an emotion besides being my passion,” Zaheeb said.
Ingrown with extraordinary talent and love for biking, Zaheeb has pulled off significant accomplishments and stayed steadfast towards biking. At a young age this adventure enthusiast has garnered immense success pulling several records under his success spree.
Zaheeb Bhat is the youngest biker to ride on one of the world’s most dangerous roads, ‘Killer Road’ of Kishtwar region. Zaheeb accomplished this major breakthrough in May- 2022. The Killer road, one of the dangerous terrains connects Jammu and Kashmir to Himachal. After steering this exceptional journey, Zaheeb marked his entry in the India book of records.
Another feather was added to Zaheeb’s cap of success following his record breaking solo ride on the world’s highest motor-able road till date. Zaheeb set on the journey and embraced yet another significant milestone by conquering Umling La, the mountain pass in Ladakh, on the ridge-line between Koyul Lungpa and Indus River in August 2022. He is the youngest to hold this record.
The instinct to explore unseen places not only thrills him but also encompasses a sense of contention as he reconnoiters nature’s hidden beauty.
“There are so many enchanting destinations that remain unexplored. It gives me immense joy when I range over such places and let nature enthusiasts know about these places. I want to contribute my bit to promote these places of Kashmir”, Zaheeb said.
Zaheeb is currently pursuing engineering from Islamic University of Science and Technology. Zaheeb developed a fascination towards adventure biking from a young age. He not only embarks on specific journeys but also upgrades his bikes to make them a powerhouse to traverse rough and tough terrains.
The 20 year old wants the youth in the valley to adopt the adventure sports and succeed in such fields at world level.
“I draw inspiration from world renowned bikers. I have been into this journey for the past eight years. On weekends I go on short rides and during vacations I embark on long bike rides. I want to influence the young minds towards adventure and bike culture. There are umpteen ways youngsters can choose and adhere to engaging with something constructive and productive. I also wish to make an impact and draw youngsters toward bike culture.” he said.
Zaheeb wants mountain biking to flourish as a full-fledged adventure sport in the valley. He said the availability of platforms , sponsorship and other pre-requisite infrastructure would foster opportunities for youth and instill interest for adventure among them.
Emphasizing the tremendous potential ingrown in youth of the valley, Zaheeb aspires to see adventure seekers exploring the realms of adventurous mountain biking.
“ I hope that adventure biking comes up as a sport in Kashmir valley, enticing more youth towards it. I want to see biking culture being developed in Kashmir. Unfortunately we lack platforms here. Moreover, there is no sponsorship in Kashmir while as anywhere across the country or world youth are sponsored even for even taking up small rides. They are are provided with the launchpad to explore the field,” Zaheeb said
