First Nepali woman completes wheelchair bungee at Bhote KosiCEFR B2
22 Dec 2025
Adapted from Sanjib Chaudhary, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Sushanta Rokka, Unsplash
The Bhote Kosi bungee, Nepal’s first bungee jumping site, has a platform that hangs 160 metres above the Bhote Kosi river and draws both international visitors and local adrenaline seekers. On 16 December 2025 Deepa Devkota, from Sindhuli District in Bagmati Province, became the first Nepali woman living with a disability to complete a wheelchair bungee jump at that spot. Devkota, who lives with spina bifida and works as a disability rights activist, made the jump on her birthday and dedicated the achievement to her parents, who faced social discrimination while raising her.
Earlier in December 2025 two other Nepali participants, Dilip Sapkota and Shishir Dahal, also completed wheelchair bungee jumps from the same platform. The first-ever recorded wheelchair bungee happened in October 2015 in Russia by Alexe Mayuko. The series of jumps in Nepal indicates how operators and participants are adapting adventure activities for people with disabilities.
Sugam Bhattarai, secretary general of the National Federation of the Disabled – Nepal, described Devkota’s achievement as an inspiration and said: "People living with disability can equally contribute to the society — in all fields, be it tourism or adventure sports." Organisers, disability groups and observers may now examine how to make more adventure sports accessible, though specific next steps are not yet clear.
Difficult words
- adrenaline — chemical in body that causes excitement
- spina bifida — birth condition affecting spinal cord and nerves
- activist — person who campaigns for social or political change
- discrimination — unfair treatment of people because of differences
- adapt — change something to fit new conditions or needsadapting
- accessible — easy to reach or use by many people
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What steps could bungee operators take to make adventure sports more accessible for people with disabilities?
- How might Devkota’s achievement change local attitudes toward people with disabilities?
- Do you think adventure tourism should include more adapted activities? Give reasons and examples.
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