Vijayawada : Indu Vallabhaneni of Vijayawada made remarkable achievements in the field of adventurous motorcycling by reaching the tallest motorable mountain passes in the world.

The 22-year-old young biker is extremely fond of long rides and achieving the records by riding the Royal Enfield Classic 500 in the harsh weather conditions in the Great Himalayas.

In 2022, Indu was honoured by both the India Book of Records and the Asia Book of Records for being the youngest female motorcyclist to reach the highest motorable pass in the world, the Umling La Pass in Ladakh. She dedicated her achievement to the Bravehearts who guard our nation and to the farmers, who are the backbone of this country. Indu Vallabhaneni started her journey by motorcycle from India Gate, Delhi, on July 2, 2022 and reached the 19,024 feet high Umling La Pass (the world’s highest motorable road in Indo-Tibet border) at 2:46 pm on July 9, 2022, at the age of 20 years, 2 months and 29 days. She was the youngest to achieve the record. The remarkable achievements won her accolades from across the country.

In 2024, Indu participated in the "Great Himalayan Exploration" by Royal Enfield in collaboration with UNESCO, exploring the magnificent landscapes of Assam.

She also had the privilege of being part of the all-women motorcycle expedition, "Ride with Pride," which honored the brave souls of the Kargil War, Operation Meghdoot, and the Zojila War, where she reached the Siachen Base Camp, the world’s highest battlefield.

She took inspiration from her brothers - Sai Krishna Tarun and Sai Sravan who embarked on the South Indian circuit. She too followed in the footsteps of her brothers and became one of the brave motorbike riders in the country.

She attributes her success to the parents. Indu said: “I have got unwavering support from my parents, Vallabhaneni Harish Kumar and Aruna, who have always stood by me. Their belief in me has been a driving force in proving that women are capable of anything they set their minds to.” She is good at education too and graduated from Dr Sudha and Nageswara Rao Siddhartha institute of Dental sciences, China Avutupalli, Krishna district.

Her fondness and passion for bike riding began in 2005 when her father used to take her to the school on Royal Enfield when she was a little kid. Vallabhaneni Harish Kumar is an officer in Agriculture department and mother Aruna a homemaker.

She took the first drive of Classic 500 while studying the Tenth standard. She got encouragement and support from teachers and parents and gradually became a champion bike rider and reached the peaks of Himalayas in the subsequent years.

After a prolonged struggle, she got her own motor bike by 2021 as parents presented her a gift of her choice and it helped her create records and reaching the peaks in Himalayas facing many challenges. She reached the tops of Umling La Pass - 19,024ft, Khardung La Pass - 17,582ft, Tanglang La Pass 17,480ft, Baralacha La Pass 16,040ft, Namika La Pass - 12,139ft and Zojila Pass - 11,578ft. Khardung Pass is located in Leh district in the Union Territory of Ladakh. Tanglang La is a high mountain Pass in Ladakh. Baralacha La Pass connects Himachal Pradesh with Leh.

Indu says success does not come easily and it requires a lot of patience, dedication, skill and hard work. She said the long drives help her meet many people and get vast knowledge about people, regions, food habits, cultures, traditions and lifestyles. She has proved that bike rides do not confine only to men. But women can also create wonders if they have courage and will to go.

The young motorcyclist said: “Riding motorcycle not only gives happiness and pleasure but also teaches various skills in the journey making a true human being.” She would like to extend her skills and experience in motorcycling to women who are interested in learning and empowering themselves through riding.

Additionally, she wishes to contribute to the development of tourism in Andhra Pradesh and India, with the support of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu.