Actor Ankur Ratan said that while he was grateful that he, his wife Shilpa Suchak, and her cousin Sonali Kapadia escaped the Nepal floods, his heart bled for the families who lost their loved ones. (Photo: Special arrangement)Actor Ankur Ratan, known for his work in web series and films such as Mai, still cannot believe that just a day earlier he was taking pictures at Rasuwa—a district north of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu that borders Tibet—where a catastrophic flash flood on Wednesday left more than 150 people dead and over 500 missing.“All of us were so gung-ho about the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Only a day ago, my wife, a cousin and I were taking pictures there. My mother-in-law Dr Amita Suchak completed the Kailash Mansarovar Parikrama in 1989, and apart from the spiritual value, we are avid trekkers and looking forward to completing the walking circuit,” the actor, who is from Mumbai, told The Indian Express on Thursday.Ratan is part of a group led by SAAD Mountaineers, a registered club in Maharashtra, that has halted at Saga town—located at 15,223 feet above sea level—a crucial stop for pilgrims travelling to Mount Kailash.Rajan Deshmukh, a founding member of SAAD Mountaineers, said the team has 28 members: 19 from Mumbai, two each from Pune, Akola, and Nashik, and one each from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Singapore. “Just 18 hours ago, we were at the same spot. Kya naseeb hai apna (Just see our fate),” Deshmukh said, summing up the group’s feeling.Also Read | Ice-rock avalanche may have triggered Nepal flash flood, say scientistsPune-based advocate Surendra Datar and Sonal Datar, also part of the SAAD group, said they cannot believe that they were at the same location barely seven to eight hours before disaster struck. “It’s really shocking that we were at the hotel which was just 10 to 15 minutes away from the site of the disaster,” Sonal told The Indian Express.“We are currently moving towards Mansarovar and will eventually begin our parikrama of Mount Kailash. I would love to undertake the entire 52-km parikrama in memory of all those who have lost their lives while attempting this sacred and arduous yatra. It would be my humble way of paying tribute to them and keeping their memory with us through the journey,” Ratan, who reached Kathmandu on August 22, said.The actor said the magnitude of the disaster has left him with mixed emotions. “There is immense gratitude that my wife Shilpa Suchak, her cousin Sonali Kapadia, and I passed through the same spot just 12-16 hours earlier. At the same time, my heart bleeds for the families who have lost their loved ones,” he added.Story continues below this adUmesh Zirpe, a veteran mountaineer and president of the Akhil Maharashtra Giryarohan Mahasangh, an apex organisation for mountaineering in Maharashtra, said they were trying to assist with the ongoing relief efforts. “It is extremely concerning that contact has not been established with several pilgrims from various parts of the country who travelled for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and are stranded,” he added.As per reports from the Nepal police, while 157 bodies have been recovered, the death toll is set to rise. Among those missing are 133 Indians, 47 Americans, 34 Australians, 33 British nationals, 24 Canadians, etc.Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories