We initiated a historic collective ride led by two cancer survivors Harka Lama and Kabita Chitrakar from Chewa Bhanjyang (East Nepal border) to Jhula Ghat (West Nepal border) on January 1, 2026. Harka first shared his wish to cycling across East-west Mid-hill High-way in Manang to Dr. Bikash Parajuli, an orthopedics of Dhulikhel Hospital. Harka shared this vision to me in detail during an interview in Mustang during the Yak Attack cycling challenge in May 2025 saying, "Let's keep this plan within us until we declare it formally."
Dr. Bikash included Harka's vision of cycling across East-west Mid-hill High-way in his presentation on Yak Attack-2025 experience sharing in Dhulikhel Hospital. Harka then declared this vision formally in a book talk program on Cycle Aesthetics in Lalitpur on 27 July 2025 organized by Coffee at Anu Books. He approached me to coordinate it. I liked Harka's vision and tried to help it unconditionally. We began to work collectively, expanding our team, trying to dissolve 'I' into 'we'.
Who is Harka?
I knew Harka, a veteran mountain-bike athlete, high-altitude MTB guide, and adventure sports professional active since 2008 in trekking while recording his lived history for my book Cycle Saundarya (Cycle Aesthetics, 2025). I came to know how he started goods delivery job by using traditional bicycle in Kathmandu. Gradually, he had transformed into a representative Nepali cyclist. He completed several prestigious national and international competitions, including Cape Epic 2025 (the biggest MTB race, South Africa) after Trans Alp 2019 (in Europe secured 19th position). He achieved second place in two races Walling 100-k cycling challenge and MTB Himalaya Race (India, 2018). He won the world's highest-altitude international cycling race Yak Attack (Nepal) four times out of six attempts. He was also a three-time national champion, when I met him.
Between 2018 and 2025, Harka has won more than five-dozen local races. After diagnosed bladder cancer (urothelial carcinoma), he continued cycling seamlessly inspiring countless individuals. His daring dedication on cycling across mid-hill Himalayas is the latest example. Harka says, "It was left as one of the toughest routes but I chose it because it covers 26 diverse districts from East to West; we've to climb 1800 meters daily for 28 days, gaining 52000 meters elevation." A cyclist and cinematographer Manish Maharjan and his team joined it to contribute for documentary making. Harka has already completed 1250 km cycling from Pashupatinath (Nepal) to Kedarnath (India) with Prashanta Pandey and Bikash Maharjan. He has participated dozens of national and international cycling races up to seven days. Many races were of 700 km. But 1800 km ride in the high altitude was a bold decision. However, combating against cancer he completed Yak Attack 2025 faster than earlier years. Harka has improved his performance better than before his cancer life. Harka was hopeful, "I am happy, fit and fine. Still I'm fighting against cancer; hope I'll win it." For him, cancer is a struggle, a fight; it's not an end of life." His life history is an example: Fighting against cancer, too, we can move from panic to power, fear to focus. I've a lot of stories about Harka that inspires people to live selfless life.
While collectively cycling to raise fund for cancer survival support, unexpected people appear and donate; expected people disappear. Last week a group of cycle friends welcomed Harka to pedal together. Surprisingly, they handed over 101,000 (one hundred one thousand) Nepali rupees, a cheque, to Harka. They said, "Use this small amount for your personal expenses during the East-west Mid-hill Himalayas ride." Harka handed over all money to cycling for cancer survival support fund saying, "All are volunteering, contributing ceaselessly; why do I alone use it personally?" I meet his daughter, Khushi, who said, "I wish I could ride and raise fund with my Baba for cancer survival support." A grade eight student, whose mother is out of the country, cried out praying for safety of her Baba, Harka. She was not sure how she could live without him for a month, though she was happy to see him riding for life. "I keep Baba's cycle gears on my bed, with me, and sleep to feel Baba with me," She cried hugging her father, Harka. She blessed his father and the team with Musical Blessing ceremony on 27 December 2025 organized by Cycle Culture Community in Nepal Tourism Board giving away a bicycle to the lucky winner Suman Shrestha.
Can Kabita win the battle?
Next lead rider, another cancer survivor, Kabita Chitrakar, dared to ride to life with Harka and his team. Kabita is a Stage-3 breast cancer survivor and a passionate neo-cyclist. She discovered both physical and emotional healing through cycling. Her soothingly innocent story telling made me cry when I recorded her history to my book Cycle Aesthetics. She narrated how she saw both of nearest relatives mother and sister died of cancer on her lap and what happened when she was diagnosed with Stage-3 breast cancer in such a way that it made me motionless with full of tears in my eyes. She has a wish to ride with her motivational cycle mentor, Harka, as far as she can. She showed her intense interest to join Yak Attack 2025. We, including international riders, encouraged her to keep on adventure cycling.
Kabita often utters, "Cycle renewed my life...so...cycling is everything to me." She does not care what others say. She listens her inner heart that motivates her to pedal. She wants to wash all the negativity away through pedaling. She likes to live today, now, with cycling - regenerating solidarity. She shares her bitter truth, "Doctors had given me the date to die. Yes, I'll die; we'll die. Let's live now, spreading hope, helping others, as far as we can." Raising fund is something. Regenerating hope is more important thing. Kabita is fighting against cancer for more than two years. While pedaling, meeting people, and interacting with them during East-west Mid-hill 'ride to life' journey, people share stories about cancer, despair and death relating with her life. In Myanglung, Terathum, some of the girls (students) asked me, "Can Kabita win the battle against her 3rd stage cancer?" We replied, "Why not; observe her; how she's cycling!"
Mentors of the margin
A small invention 'cycle' symbolizes: 'everything' is connected to 'everything else.' For a cyclist, a small but beautiful bicycle is everything. It peacefully connects people and planet. Our cycle friends, Harka and Kabita, are collectively connecting - regenerating - hope from below. Mentors are there, at the margins. Let's 'ride for life' sharing aesthetics of compassion and co-existence. Let a little initiation grow and shine from the bottom. We are pedaling East-West Mid-Hill High-way (1800 km) humming, 'appo deepo bhawa.' People are supporting Harka's 'ride for life' dream. It has been turned into a collective dream. Let our root culture of collectivism and volunteerism regenerate. Please help Harka and Kabita. They want to generate a kosh (cancer survivor support fund) to the underprivileged cancer patients. These mentors of the margin are leading ride to life, generating fund not for them but for others. We are with them.