Maharashtra couple completes 16,428 km motorcycle ride across India
Samrat and Varshali Dambe travelled through 22 states and four Union Territories after losing their jobs in 2024.
A couple from Mhapral in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district completed an 80-day motorcycle expedition covering 16,428 km across 22 states and four Union Territories, according to The Times of India.
Samrat Dambe and Varshali Dambe began the Art India Ride in September 2024 after both lost their jobs around June 2024. The pair travelled on a Benelli TRK motorcycle, passing through regions including Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The expedition cost approximately Rs 3.75 lakh for fuel, food, accommodation and maintenance. The couple maintained a daily budget of Rs 3,500 and had agreed to return home if their savings dropped to Rs 40,000.
During the journey, the travellers faced freezing temperatures in Ladakh, where it reached minus 12 degrees Celsius near Pangong Lake. They also encountered storms near the Gujarat-Rajasthan border.
The India Book of Records recognised the couple as IBR Achievers in January 2025 for the expedition. While the couple's account notes 22 states and four Union Territories, the individual entries record the ride as covering 20 states and three Union Territories.
On April 6, 2025, the couple started Souls of Motorcycle, a riding community that has grown to more than 700 members.