Jaydip Lahkankiya, a man from India who is walking from Europe to India to raise awareness about climate change and the environment, has arrived in Rome after starting his 13,000KM walk from Malta. While in Rome, Jaydip Lahkankiya visited Malta’s Embassy and was welcomed by the Ambassador to Italy, Daniel Azzopardi. Lahkankiya was also gifted a Maltese flag.
His experience with the Indian diplomats in Rome seems to have been less welcoming, as they refused to meet him and turned him down. He said that he had informed them about his trip four months in advance and never received a reply. A video he uploaded online shows Indian diplomats acting rudely and dismissively.
Jaydip Lahkankiya started his walk on 21 February 2026 from Valletta, setting off from Castille at the beginning of what is expected to be a 12,000km journey across around 20 countries.
He intends to walk all the way back to India over a period of approximately 18 months, eventually reaching New Delhi, with only two ferry crossings — from Malta to Sicily and from Sicily to mainland Italy.
His route will take him through Italy and across much of Eastern Europe and Asia, including countries such as Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Greece, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan before finally reaching India.
He is currently carrying out positive acts for the environment as he makes his walk, such as cleaning up rubbish from the streets and countryside, often alongside local environmental activists. Before leaving Malta, he even organised a nationwide clean-up, collecting significant amounts of waste from across the islands.
Throughout his journey, Lahkankiya is documenting his actions and encouraging communities to take responsibility for environmental protection, turning his walk into both a symbolic and practical campaign for climate awareness.
Feature photo of Jaydip Lahkankiya in Catania.
Newsroom
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