Tinkesh Kaushik – Undefeated

The weather at Bhotekoshi river was perfect for bungee jumping. I was glad that I would be able to enjoy the canyon swing without breaking a sweat. The thought uppermost on my mind on the ride up here was how lucky I am that the authorities had given me the permission to attempt this record.

I became the First Asian Triple Amputee, to perform this adventure sport and jump from the highest Canyon Swing Site in the world.

I was always an adventurous kid. Kite flying was a favourite pastime. But, this seemingly harmless activity took a dangerous turn. I was 9 when my kite got stuck in a high tension wire. In an attempt to retrieve it, I got electrocuted with 11,000 volts of electricity. This accident cost me both my legs below the knees and my left arm at the shoulder. They were badly charred and had to be amputated.

However, that tragic incident didn’t stop me from pursuing a normal life. My parents and friends did everything possible to help mitigate my problems  in every possible way. I even prepared for and cleared my exams despite several months of hospitalization. As I grew older, due to lack of  physical activity and exercise, I had put on a lot of weight. One fine day I looked in the mirror and realized that I was staring at a version of myself that I wasn’t happy with.

I decided to change my lifestyle and joined a gym. Although, the hardest part wasn’t the training sessions, but convincing my parents and fitness trainers that I wanted to run, cycle, and workout with my prosthetic legs. Their concern was valid,  I knew I had physical constraints, but my willpower knew no bounds. I kept pushing my limits without letting my limitations deter me. And within two years, I lost around 12 kgs.

Thereafter, I started participating in marathons and went on to do white water rafting in Dandeli and bungee Jumping in Nepal. I accomplished all this within a span of two years! People consider physical disability to be a challenge. But true disability is in the mind. Everyone has their own challenges to face and if I can refuse to give in to my limitations, I’m sure you can too.”