15-Year-Old Girl Bikes Her Injured Father Home – 700 Miles Away

When young Jyoti Kumari and her jobless father found themselves 700 miles away from home, the 15-year-old pedaled across the country to their hometown – with her injured dad in the back of the $20 bike.

The COVID-19 lockdown in India led to many thousands of migrant laborers losing money and job opportunities, and their only remaining hope was taking dangerously long journeys to get back home. Tens of millions are estimated to be on the move, marking it the biggest migration of people across the subcontinent since 1947.

But Jyoti’s dad could barely walk and had almost no money left, so she convinced him to take what’s left and buy a purple bike to get back home. “I will get Papa home good,” she tells her mother over a borrowed phone.

Her hard work carrying her heavy father and his bag, with gas station naptimes and little food, more than paid off: Indian press dubbed her “lionhearted” and the Cycling Federation of India tracked her down and invited her to New Delhi for a tryout with the national team. “I’m elated, I really want to go,” says Jyoti. The federation finds gifted youth and sends the most talented to international competitions, such as the Olympics.