An 80-member international pilgrimage group organized by Isha Sacred Walks, which includes 22 U.S. citizens and 12 Canadians, is currently missing following severe flash floods near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26. Among the unaccounted-for travelers are Deepak Ahuja and Madhu Ahuja, parents of Dallas resident Akash Mahtani, who were on the trip to celebrate Deepak’s 60th birthday. Mahtani shared on Instagram that the Isha Foundation confirmed his parents were stationed at the Gyirong immigration facility when the disaster struck, prompting an urgent public appeal for information directed at anyone with contacts in Nepal, Tibet, or Gyirong, including hospitals, rescue personnel, and local media.
Accounts from Leadership and Site Destruction:
Spiritual leader and Isha Foundation founder Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, who is currently located in Saga, Tibet, corroborated that the entire group appeared to be inside the immigration building during the deluge. Sadhguru reported receiving a final update at 9:05 a.m. on August 26 from Ishanga Praveen a veteran group leader and full-time foundation volunteer of over twenty years stating that they had safely arrived at the facility. Because Praveen’s Nepal mobile number never reconnected afterward, authorities deduce the pilgrims did not advance past that location. Describing the severity of the disaster, Sadhguru noted that the exact immigration building he visited just a week prior, along with a significant portion of the surrounding town, was entirely swept away by the floodwaters.
Demographics and Diplomatic Response:
The affected travel roster comprises 34 men and 46 women, supported by three volunteers and a traveling doctor, while several auxiliary volunteers were lodged at nearby hotels. Beyond the United States and Canada, the diverse international delegation includes 11 individuals from Australia, nine from the United Kingdom, four from Germany, three each from France and Nepal, two each from the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, and Spain, and one each from Finland, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, and South Africa. In response to the crisis, Sadhguru confirmed that diplomatic missions representing all countries of origin have been formally notified in both India and Nepal regarding the emergency and the current absence of communication.
