“She started running behind me, with her tail wagging and hope in her eyes. That is when I decided to adopt her…..”
It was a moment that would change everything. On a dusty stretch of highway near Delhi, a young cyclist named Sonu Raj had just pulled over to help a wounded puppy lying in the middle of the road.
Like he had done for more than 50 stray dogs during his journey, he intended to move her to safety, nurse her briefly, and carry on. But fate, as it often does, had other plans.
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As he resumed pedaling, thinking he’d left her in good hands, the little dog sprang up—limping but determined—and began trailing behind him. “There was no turning back after that,” Sonu recalls, smiling.
Sonu rescued injured Charlie during his journey.
Today, Sonu and that once-injured pup, now affectionately known as Charlie, are inseparable. Together, they’ve become the internet’s favourite duo, cycling across the length and breadth of India with nothing but a second-hand cycle, a heart full of compassion, and a shared spirit of adventure.
A boy, a cycle, and a dream
Sonu Raj is just 20 years old. Born in the heart of Nalanda, Bihar, he spent most of his childhood with his grandparents while his parents worked as master masons in Chennai. He was in the third year of college when he decided to quit—trading books and benches for wheels and roads.
To fund his dream, Sonu did everything from delivering newspapers to giving tuition. Eventually, he saved enough to buy a second-hand bicycle, and in 2023, his journey began—first on foot, walking 400 kilometres to Ayodhya for the Ram Mandir inauguration, then on wheels toward Ladakh.
“We all have that perception that you need a lot of money to travel. But I learned that if you have the will, people along the way will help you. You just have to be okay with the harsh conditions,” he says.
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From the snowy slopes of Khardung La to the temples of Ujjain, Sonu has now traveled over 14,000 km, covering 15 states and three union territories.
A chance encounter with Sonam Wangchuk
One of the defining moments in Sonu’s journey came when he reached Ladakh — after walking 500 km through mountainous terrain where cycles just wouldn’t roll. There, he met renowned environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk, who inspired Aamir Khan’s character in 3 Idiots.
“He was impressed that I cycled all the way for the environment. He gifted me a new cycle in support,” Sonu says, his eyes gleaming. “It meant so much, not just because of the cycle but because someone I respected believed in me.”
That moment wasn’t just validation—it was fuel. It inspired him to dream bigger, and go farther.
Charlie: The unplanned companion who stole hearts
Charlie was just two months old when Sonu met her. Small, scrawny, and nearly run over, she seemed destined for a tragedy until Sonu stopped. “I took her to my relatives in Rohini so she could recover. I thought I’d leave her there… but then she started following me.”
What began as an impulsive act of kindness turned into a lifelong bond. Sonu attached a small carrier to his cycle, and Charlie took her seat like a queen of the road. “People smile and wave at us. Some message me on Instagram just to meet Charlie when I visit their city,” he says.
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The duo has already travelled over 14,000Km spread across 15 states.
Feeding Charlie hasn’t always been easy. “I used to carry a 2.5kg bag of dog food when she was a pup. Sometimes, she ate curd rice, rotis, and milk—never complained once. Shopkeepers gave me food for her free of cost after hearing our story.” Now a healthy one-year-old weighing 15 kg, Charlie remains the heart of Sonu’s travels—and a quiet, steady source of strength.
A terrifying accident and Charlie’s heroism
In Maharashtra, their bond was tested like never before. While cycling near a rural highway, a jeep hit Sonu and flung him to the side of the road. He lost consciousness. Charlie, thankfully unharmed, ran 400 meters to the nearest dhaba for help.
“A jeep hit me. I blacked out. But Charlie, my brave girl, ran 400 meters to the nearest dhaba to get help. She brought people to me. They took me to a hospital. I don’t remember everything, but when I finally came back, she couldn’t stop jumping and licking my face. I broke down. That moment—that was everything.”
Sonu later traveled to Kalyan, around 100 km away, for medical treatment arranged by a kind Instagram follower. Even in her silence, Charlie never let Sonu walk alone.
Not all roads are smooth
For all the scenic sunsets and smiles Sonu and Charlie encounter, their journey is far from romanticized. The road has been harsh—sometimes physically, sometimes emotionally.
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“There have been times I had to sleep without food, in the open, with Charlie curled up beside me,” Sonu shares. “Once, I pitched a tent in Goa. A group of people came and threw it away in the middle of the night, saying I couldn’t stay there. That happened in Gujarat and Rajasthan too.”
The weather has often turned enemy. In Kashmir, Sonu got caught in a thunderstorm without shelter. Drenched, shivering, and exhausted, he stumbled upon an army camp. “The jawans let me stay and even encouraged me. They told me to keep going, that what I was doing was rare and important.”
The emotional toll has been just as testing. “There are always people who try to pull you down. Many say, ‘Go back to the village, get a job, and support your family.’ And while I understand their concern, I believe life should have more meaning than just making money.”
At one point, Sonu suffered a bad injury just 70 km short of reaching Kedarnath. “I couldn’t even walk properly. I had no money for a doctor or a hotel. That’s when a man messaged me saying he followed my Instagram and had seen me at Sonam Wangchuk’s protest. He lived 3 km away and offered to help. I stayed with him for 13 days until I recovered.”
Even Charlie’s well-being has been a constant source of stress. “I made sure she got all her vaccinations during our travels. She never complained about the food, but I worried. Thankfully, so many shopkeepers and strangers helped me just because they were moved by our story.”
From fear to freedom: a quiet transformation
Sonu isn’t the same person he was when he set out from Nalanda. “I was a shy, soft-spoken boy scared to speak up. Now I can look people in the eye and talk. My confidence has grown. Charlie also made me more empathetic—especially toward animals.”
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It’s this empathy that led to his most ambitious dream yet: a shelter for stray animals in Bihar. Named after Charlie, the shelter will begin by providing food and medical care and slowly expand. “I’ve finalized a piece of land near my village. I’ll need Rs 45–50 lakhs for the full setup, but I can start with Rs 10–12 lakhs. That’s why I’m trying crowdfunding.”
Traveling with purpose: slow, soulful, and spirited
Unlike many travelers who race through cities, Sonu moves slowly—and intentionally.
“I don’t believe in living with the fear of death. I live each day fully. Sometimes I do freelance photography to earn some money.” Social media has helped too. With increasing attention, Sonu recently bagged his first brand collaboration. But fame isn’t what drives him.
“I just want to build that shelter. Bihar doesn’t have any big dedicated centers for strays. I want to start small and build something that matters.”
Through the eyes of a fellow rider
One of the people most impacted by Sonu and Charlie’s story is Koustubh Mukherjee, a solo motorcyclist who briefly journeyed alongside them. A seasoned traveller himself, Koustubh had spent years on the road, yet Sonu left a deep impression on him.
“When I first met him,” Koustubh recalls, “he seemed like any other young, enthusiastic boy. But the more time I spent with him, the more I realised how extraordinary his story is.”
At the time, Sonu was just around 18 years old. “For someone so young to be taking on such an arduous journey—on a regular cycle, no fancy gear, no sponsors—it blew my mind. And later, when I learned he was travelling with a dog… that’s when it hit me harder.”
But what struck Koustubh the most wasn’t the physical endurance—it was Sonu’s mental strength.
“You can have all the physical stamina in the world, but without the right mindset, you won’t last a week on a journey like this. Sonu’s strength comes from his approach to life. He’s incredibly positive. He doesn’t complain. He adapts. That attitude—along with Charlie—gives him a kind of spiritual momentum. That’s rare.”
Koustubh believes it’s this positivity that draws kindness to Sonu. “He receives help not because he asks for it, but because people want to support him. They see something real, something pure in what he’s doing.”
Their brief time travelling together left a lasting impression on Koustubh. “Watching Sonu cycle with Charlie comfortably tucked in her carrier… it was surreal. There was this harmony between them that made me reflect on my travels.”
He adds, “Sonu is living proof that you don’t need fancy equipment or a lot of money to make a difference. You just need purpose, grit, and a heart that doesn’t give up.
Charlie’s legacy: a shelter, a symbol, a second chance
Sonu’s vision for the shelter is as practical as it is heartfelt. “I want to feed street dogs, give them vaccinations, and treat their injuries. With time, I want to make a full shelter with adoption, rescue, and treatment facilities.”
He knows the road ahead isn’t easy—but he’s used to long, hard roads. To earn money for his next big chapter—an expedition through the Northeast—Sonu recently returned to Patna and worked as a paperboy. “Whatever I earn, I’m saving up for Charlie’s shelter.”
Why their story matters
In a world obsessed with fast travel, filtered experiences, and five-star getaways, Sonu and Charlie’s journey is a reminder of what truly matters: connection, kindness, courage.
They didn’t need a fancy van, corporate sponsors, or expensive equipment. Just a cycle. A dog. A will. And a lot of heart. Sonu puts it best: “I feel humans are much more terrifying than any stray dog. Dogs just want love. Charlie never needed disciplining—she just needed someone to stay. And I stayed.”
As they gear up for their next ride through the hills and valleys of the Northeast, Sonu and Charlie continue pedalling not just across India, but straight into people’s hearts.
To help Sonu achieve his dream of opening his animal shelter in Bihar you can reach out to 72004 22273.