Pursuing world record, Meerut bizman’s son dies in Chile road mishap

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Mohit Kohli, an ultra-endurance cyclist and bikepacker, who hailed from Meerut, died in Chile after being run over by a vehicle on Wednesday morning. The 36-year-old embarked on a journey on January 22, in a bid to break the world record for the fastest bicycle crossing of South America, from Cartagen in Colombia to Ushuaia in Argentina — a distance of 10,000 km.

Mohit Kohli (Sourced) Son of a prominent businessman, the 36-year-old is survived by his parents and his younger brother, Mudit, who confirmed his death “somewhere in the middle of the desert in Chile.” Mudit told HT, “Due to the severity of his injuries, he lost his life. The investigation team was requested to analyse and determine the dynamics and the underlying cause of this accident,” he said.

A friend of Kohli’s who studied at Modern School in Delhi with him, and asked not to be named, told HT, “On Thursday, our friends were tagged in a post on Instagram where someone from Chile informed them that Mohit had died, and that they were trying to get in touch with his family... That’s when our friend informed Mohit’s parents, who are on their way to Chile now... We are all heartbroken.”

Kohli’s brother, who is based in London, left for Chile, and his father Pranneet Kohli and other family members boarded a flight from Delhi on Friday to bring Kohli’s remains back to India.

Mudit said, “My brother commenced his journey on January 22 from Cartagena, Colombia. His mission was to traverse multiple countries across the continent whilst spreading the message of peace and unity... Having covered half of his 10,000 km journey, Ushuaia was his finish line.”

Kohli’s father is a prominent businessman in Meerut, who owns two gun shops on Abulane and PL Sharma Road in Meerut. Kohli studied at St Mary’s Academy in Meerut, and then moved to Delhi, where he got admission at Modern School, Barakhamba Road. In 2010, he graduated in history from Delhi University’s St Stephen’s College, and pursued further studies in London and other countries. Mudit told HT that Kohli had lived in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Chile.

Vicky Algah, a neighbour of Mohit’s native home, said, “Mohit wanted to establish his identity as a cyclist, for which he was continuously striving. Recently, Mohit Kohli aimed to set a record by cycling 10,000 kilometres at high speed in South America, but fate had other plans”.

On January 22, as he began his adventure, Kohli posted on Instagram: “I am embarking on a lifelong adventure, attempting to break the world record for the fastest bicycle crossing of South America, starting from Cartagena, Colombia, and cycling across the continent. Facing breathtaking landscapes, tough climbs, and unpredictable weather. I am excited about taking on this challenge to the finish line in Ushuaia, Patagonia. Let’s ride together.”

He dabbled in water polo, athletics, swimming and diving for years before taking up ultra-endurance cycling and bikepacking. On Instagram, he documented his adventure. He started from Cartagena on January 22, crossed into Ecuador on January 30, Peru on February 2, and finally Chile, where he was killed. He had crossed 5,400 km of the 10,000 km on the bike by then.

Kohli’s friend added, “In the UK, he became a cross-channel swimming instructor for a few years, and then picked up cycling. He was very excited about this adventure, about cycling and bikepacking, and about breaking a world record. He trained hard, and was a very determined person. He made a WhastApp group with his friends and family members to update them daily about his journey... This is heartbreaking and shocking.”

The friend recalled his last phone conversation with Kohli, which traversed from talking about old friends to camera equipment and “cracking social media.” “He was so passionate about cycling... He wanted to shoot videos and post them on social media, so he could find sponsors... He had such a long way to go,” said the friend.

Kohli’s friends remember him as a funny, mischievous, caring friend, who liked to stay in touch no matter which part of the world he was in.

A friend of Kohli’s said, “During Covid-19, he was in England and couldn’t return home. Instead of fretting about his own future, he began volunteering with an organisation that helped take care of patients. He dedicated himself to do that... That’s who Moko (what his friends called him) was.”

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