Indian techie spends Rs 1 crore, completes London to Bhopal drive in 35 days to mark 79th Independence Day

Hukumchand Ratanchand Shah purchased a new vehicle last year for approximately Rs 75 lakh to prepare for the expedition.

A 42-year-old software professional, Hukumchand Ratanchand Shah, completed a 16,000-kilometre drive from London to Bhopal in just over a month, following nearly two years of meticulous planning and an outlay of around Rs 1 crore, Times of India reported.

Shah, originally from Solapur in Maharashtra and now based in London, embarked on the expedition to mark the 79th Independence Day with his family in Bhopal. He was joined on the road by his close friend and fellow engineer Abhijit Patil. Shah’s wife, Richa Shah, a banker in London, had travelled ahead to Bhopal with their children and in-laws.

“This journey was memorable. We travelled through 19 countries before reaching India. It was a years-long dream of mine which has now been fulfilled,” Shah told Times of India, speaking about his cross-continental drive.

Richa Shah praised her husband’s determination, remarking, “My husband has done a wonderful expedition. We are proud of him."

According to the report in Times of India, the route, however, was not without difficulties. After traversing 19 nations, the travellers encountered a major obstacle in Nepal when a landslide blocked the highway, cutting off the final stretch to Madhya Pradesh. Shah was forced to leave his vehicle in Nepal, completing the last leg of the journey to Bhopal without it. He now plans to undertake an additional 2,000-kilometre trip to bring the car from Nepal to Mumbai.

Shah purchased a new vehicle last year for approximately Rs 75 lakh to prepare for the expedition. He explained that beyond the cost of the car, the journey itself required around Rs 35 lakh in travel expenses. The combined investment brought the overall cost of the undertaking to nearly Rs 1 crore, making it among the most expensive road expeditions carried out by a private individual from India.

Reflecting on the experience, Shah recalled the reception in different countries. “Everyone encouraged us a lot. We travelled for about 12 days in China and people there treated us with great respect,” he said.

While Shah had previously completed challenging routes within India, including expeditions from Pune to Ladakh, this marked his most ambitious drive to date. His feat stands apart from the organised “Road to London” tours that have gained popularity since 2017, in which convoys of travellers cover 16,000 kilometres across 20 nations over 50 to 65 days.