Adrenaline junkie at 67

Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy is an adventure freak who has gone on various trekking camps — from Western Ghats to Ladakh — and says the sport is worth dying for

After suffering from blocks in the arteries multiple times and undergoing a bypass surgery, one would think that the 67-year-old would be walking on tenterhooks, tip-toeing through life. But the decision of Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy from Nellore to make his second innings in this world really counts.

Post surgery, when his doctor asked him to take up brisk walking to maintain good health, he decided to go on trekking. His adventures started with a 75-km trek in 2012 from Gokarna to Murudeshwara. Ever since, he has gone on nine camps, including Stok Kangri (6,133 m high) and Chadak, in the Ladakh region and in the Western Ghats.

So what inspired this dare-devil “I came across a blog written by a man who had gone up the Everest. Explaining the experience, the writer said that at one point, he didn’t care even if he died, but he was bent on going ahead. That’s what hooked me to adventure sports. I experienced a similar feeling while trekking to Annapurna base camp,” he says, adding, “The summit may be out of my scope, but reaching the base camp of Mt. Everest is my goal.”

A former electrical engineer, Vijaya Bhaskara believes that age is not a barrier. “At Annapurna base camp, I met an Australian couple — 69 and 75 years old. So, age really doesn’t matter,” he says. Each trek goes on for about 10 days and there have been days where Bhaskara has trekked for 12 hours a day, continuously.

His family was initially very hesitant about his decision. “Yes, my family was extremely concerned and initially, asked me not to risk it. In high altitudes, the oxygen level drops and there have been quite a few instances where people have died. But, as I insisted and went for more and more camps, they too became comfortable,” says the father of three, adding, “that is why when I went for Annapurna base camp. I took photos along to remind myself that I have to go back.” He remembers a small landslide he experienced. “We could see rocks rumble and fall from a distance. We waited for it to pass, and then went ahead,” he says, adding, “I miss my grandson the most when I am away.”

The man who is in the pink of his health says the Pin Parvathi trek is his favourite. “Every part of me loves it. Before I headed out, I had a bad cold. But once I started, everything disappeared,” he says.

The man goes on the treks with the Greater Hyderabad Adventure Club and he reads a lot. “I follow websites like Lonely Planet. They are really educational,” he says. The adventure buff plans to live the rest of his life king size as his bucket list includes paragliding, white water rafting, scuba diving and sky-diving.