Epic Bicycle Journey of an Indian Lover Covering 8 Countries

This is the story of an Indian boy who treavelled all the way from Delhi, India to Sweden by an old bicycle crossing Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Germany, Austria and Denmark to meet his love.

The story of Dr. Pradyumna Kumar Mahanandia shows that true love transcends all travesties, difficulties and troubles. 

Pradyumna Kumar Mahandia  born(1949) in Kandhapada village of Athmallik Sub-division in the district of Angul, Odisha an Indian state in a weavers family which belonged to a lower cast.  They were treated as “untouchables” at that time.

He attended the Mahendra High School, Athmallik and then joined Visva-Bharati to study art.  Despite his selection at the art School, it became impossible to pay the fee and he had to return home.  He later joined Government College of Art and Crafts, Khallikote, Odisha to study art.  To satisfy his quest for art he joined College of Art, Delhi to study Fine Arts in 1971.

During this time he shot to fame in portraiture by drawing the portrait of then Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi. 

It is the year 1975, when Charlotte Von Sledvin, a 19-year-old student of Swedish royal family travels to India to get a portrait made by a gifted artist.  Despite the incredibly difficult circumstance the artist named Pradyuman Kumar Mahanandia had gained an outstanding reputation for being a gifted painter.  His reputation led Charlotte Von Sledvin to travel all the way to India to get her portrait done.

By the time the portrait was finished, the two had fallen in love. Pradyumna was fascinated with Charlotte’s beauty. Never before had he seen a more beautiful woman from the Western world. He gave his best to capture all her beauty in the portrait, yet never fully succeeded. Nonetheless, the portrait was magnificent and Charlotte fell for his simplicity and his beautiful character. Because of him, she spontaneously decided to stay longer in India. Out of a couple of days became weeks and then even months. The two had fallen so deeply in love that they decided to get married.  Charlotte took the Indian name Charulata and they both married following traditional rituals.


Unfortunately, the time came when Charlotte had to leave again in order to complete her studies in London. She asked her husband to come along, however, PK was still a student and wanted to finish his studies.  Thousands of miles separated the two but their feelings for each other never changed. They stayed in contact through letters, which they exchanged almost weekly with each other. Naturally, the newlyweds terribly struggled with the great distance between each other. Charlotte offered her husband to buy him air tickets, which he refused. He had not only decided to complete his studies first, but he had also set his mind on reuniting with the love of his life on his own terms. He even made her the promise that he would do anything he can to see her again.


After Pradyumna had finished his studies, he took all his possessions and sold them. Unfortunately, the money he earned didn’t even come close to a flight ticket. All he could afford was a cheap and used bicycle. Many would have been greatly disappointed, some would have even given up. But not Pradyumna. Instead of allowing the difficult circumstances to stop him from seeing his beloved wife again, he met the decision to use what he had in order to see her again. Nothing could stop him from reuniting with his wife, even if that meant an exhausting bicycle ride half around the world.

His decision was the beginning of a bicycle journey from India to the Western world. Pradyumna took all his paintings and brushes along with him in order to financially support his endeavor. His voyage led him through eight countries and took more than four months.

He sold all his belongings and bought a second-hand bicycle. Carrying all his paints and brushes along, he did the unthinkable.

He set out on a voyage to the Far West with a hope to reunite with his love. This was back in 1978.

He reached Amritsar from New Delhi before entering Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Germany, Austria and Denmark.

His cycle broke down many times on the way and he even had to go on without food for days. But nothing could break his will.

After 4 months and 3 weeks of back-breaking journey, he finally reached Gothenburg, Sweden.

Those were the days when not many countries required visa for travelling.

Upon reaching, he was questioned by Swedish immigration officers who were amazed to see a man who had come from India riding a bicycle.

PK told them the reason behind his visit and produced photographs of his marriage with Charlotte.

Authorities were surprised and did not believe that someone of royal blood from Europe would marry a poor Indian.

The sudden revelation made even PK skeptical whether his lady love would accept him or not.


When Charlotte learned about the man from India who cycled all the way for around 5 months, she drove to Gothenburg and received her husband with unbridled happiness.

Her parents accepted Pradyumna as a part of their family by breaking a royal tradition that prohibited non-white people from residing with the nobles.

After 40 years of marriage, Dr PK Mahanandia serves as the Odiya Cultural Ambassador of India to Sweden and lives with his wife Charlotte and 2 children in Sweden.

His village, that once shunned him as an untouchable, now gives a thundering welcome every time he makes a visit.

Pradyumna is well known in Sweden as an artist and is working as an Adviser, Art and Culture, under the Swedish Government. Swedish Government in honour of their love has made films to document this immortal love of the century.

His paintings have been exhibited in major cities of the world and have found places in the prestigious UNICEF greeting cards.

On 4 January 2012, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree (Degree of Honoris Causa) from Utkal University of Culture (UUC) in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha state, India. He was also designated as the Oriya Cultural ambassador to Sweden by the Government of Odisha.