‘Just a day ago, we were there’: Mumbai actor on narrow escape from Nepal floods

Actor Ankur Ratan, a prominent figure in Mumbai's web series and film industry, is in shock at the recent flash flood disaster in Nepal. Just a day before, he and his family were taking pictures at Rasuwa, a district close to Kathmandu that borders Tibet. Ratan, his wife, and cousin were on their way to complete the Kailash Mansarovar Parikrama, a revered trekking circuit with deep spiritual significance.

The actor belongs to a group led by SAAD Mountaineers, a registered club in Maharashtra. The group currently consists of 28 members from Mumbai, Pune, Akola, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Singapore. According to Rajan Deshmukh, a founding member of the club, they were only 18 hours away from the disaster site when they halted at Saga town, a crucial stop for pilgrims en route to Mount Kailash.

Ratan's wife Shilpa Suchak, his cousin Sonali Kapadia, and their mother-in-law Dr Amita Suchak were also present at the same location 12-16 hours before the disaster struck. The group is now making its way towards Mansarovar, with Ratan expressing his desire to undertake the entire 52-km parikrama as a tribute to the lives lost. He emphasizes the mixed emotions the disaster has brought upon him, expressing gratitude for their survival while mourning the loss of many lives.