The all-new season of Roadies has already kickstarted its journey. As the contestants try hard to make it to the final rounds, ringmaster Rannvijay Singha has been throwing quite a few challenges at them. Also, the gang leaders Prince Narula, Nikhil Chinapa, Neha Dhupia, Raftaar and Sandeep Singh are having a tough time trying to find the right people for their team.
With the theme of ‘Real Heroes’, this season is also special as it features three contestants who have made a mark in society with their selfless acts. As the trio challenge the contestants with their strength, grit and determination, let’s find out more about them.
Milind Chandwani
Born in a middle-class family in Hyderabad, Milind had supporting parents who always tried to give him the best. From a young age, he could see the effort they took to provide what is required. After completing his computer engineering course, Milind started working at an IT company but he felt something was amiss. “I started volunteering with an NGO at orphanages and shelter homes. One-day volunteering per week soon shifted to seven days a week as I was passionate about it,” shared Milind in a statement.
While he applied for B-schools to please his family, he also applied for Teach for India fellowship. As luck would have it, he got through both. Talking about the choice he made back then, Milind stated, “It was the easiest choice for me because I knew where my heart wanted to be. During my fellowship, I started my own NGO – Camp Diaries. Post that, I joined I teach schools in Pune as a Principal. Now, I am back to Hyderabad, working on the Women Safety project and Camp Diaries.”
Milind has already been invited numerous times as a motivational speaker and was even awarded ‘I’m not a hero’ by VJIT college, Hyderabad. While the young man was confused between Nikhil Chinapa and Neha Dhupia, he joined the latter’s gang.
Bhargasetu Sharma
Just in her twenties, Bhargasetu was awarded the Raksha Mantri Padak Award in 2019. She is the first woman from Gujarat to receive the honour. The young girl received the award for her heroic act of saving a boy from drowning earlier this year. Bhargasetu also runs a community – Humans with Humanity which deals with helping animals in need. A sports enthusiast, Bhargasetu is an NCC cadet and even achieved the second position in the 400-meter freestyle in Khel Mahakumbh 2017. A humanist by nature, she is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW) from Maharaja Sayajirao University.
The Roadies judges were completely blown away by Bhargasetu and her humility when they met her for the first time. Neha Dhupia had even stated that she would want her daughter Mehr to imbibe some of Bhargasetu’s qualities when she grows up. The champ chose Raftaar as her gang leader.
Bidhan Sreshtha
Originally from Kathmandu, Nepal, 21-year-old Bidhan Shrestha is currently pursuing mechanical engineering in Bangalore. Bidhan was chosen to be a part of this journey after he saved a man from dying in the mountains in July 2016. Talking about the incident, he said, “When I saw the man falling from a mountain, something inside me triggered. I was determined to save that person. I believe in karma and I’d want someone to help me if I was in such a situation ever. So, I quickly managed to reach on the site to help without giving a second thought.”
Bidhan has always been adventurous and enjoys travelling. He is also a martial arts expert making him one of the strongest contenders in Roadies. But for the young man, heroism springs from character, the critical element that defines a person. “Seeing all the respect and love I’m getting proves that I did the right thing and I’m very proud of that. I hope people keep humanity alive and make the world a better place,” he added. Bidhan is a part of Prince Narula’s gang.
Roadies Real Heroes airs every Sunday at 7 pm on MTV.
(By Sana Farzeen)
