Dnyan
How Do You Envision a Future of Change?
I first met Dnyan at Nomads Hostel and Beach Club in Cancún, Mexico, back in 2019. Our introduction was brief — just a quick hello before he stepped out for dinner nearby.
The next day, after a full day of beach hopping on the local bus, I came back to the hostel and saw him again, sitting out front. We started talking and decided to go visit a few beaches together. In that moment, something shifted for me. It felt like a door opened — a quiet reminder that the world is full of people, stories, and places waiting to be discovered.
That’s how I met Dyaneshwar (Dnyan) Yewatkar, a man on a powerful mission to cycle 70,000 kilometres around the world in the name of peace. His journey isn’t just about travel. It’s about slowing down, listening, and learning from the people and cultures he meets along the way.
Spending time with him reminded me that even the smallest act of kindness can create a ripple. One honest connection can change how we see the world and ourselves.
I later learned that Dnyan’s goal is to build a school for homeless children. Through his travels, he’s collecting lessons, values, and stories — all of which he hopes to pass on. His journey is grounded in simplicity, resilience, and a deep belief that fear only holds us back. He taught me that when we move through the world with love instead of fear, we create space for growth, connection, and real transformation.
Not long ago, while following his most recent leg of the journey from Oaxaca, Mexico, I read something that shook me. Dnyan had unknowingly taken a shortcut through an area known for cartel activity. That night, after setting up his tent near the coast, he was pulled from sleep with his face covered and taken to an unknown location. Armed men stood guard around him. At first, he didn’t know who had taken him — whether it was police or something far worse. Soon, he realized he was being held by one of Mexico’s most dangerous gangs.
Despite the terror of the situation, he stayed calm. Using Google Translate, he began talking to them. What began as fear slowly turned into something more human. They were surprised to learn he was from India. Curious about his cooking skills, they asked him to make them food — even though he’s vegetarian, they insisted on chicken.
He was held for days. During that time, they taught him how to use weapons, even though he knew he never would. They told him about their lives — how they ended up in the gang. One of them said something that stayed with him:
“Society abandoned us. We’re judged by our skin, our background, our beliefs. Even if we try to leave this life, we won’t survive one day.”
These men had been shaped by violence. Their pain was real. Dnyan, a man devoted to peace, found himself surrounded by people who had chosen a very different path. Still, he didn’t judge them. He listened.
Eventually, the gang leader decided to let him go. Before he left, they offered him a pistol and drugs — to protect himself and help him survive the road ahead. Dnyan gently refused.
He told them,
“I’ve traveled the world for four years without ever holding a weapon. My work is to connect hearts. I speak about love and non-violence. Where there is love, there is no need for weapons. No weapon can create peace.”
He later shared a deeper reflection:
“Today, many believe peace comes through arms and power. India recently signed a $3 billion arms deal with the US. In America, guns are in homes. People lock their doors. Refugees suffer. Shootings happen across the world over race and religion — in Texas, Germany, New Zealand. But peace built on fear and weapons is temporary. Real peace needs us to reduce violence, reduce arms, and invest in people instead. That’s how we truly honor Gandhi.”
He continued,
“While governments spend billions on weapons, people are starving. Fear keeps growing. Immigrants are killed. Many countries teach children to hate. If we don’t revive our values, this cycle will only continue.”
The gang still insisted on giving him money before he left — $500 in cash. It wasn’t something he felt right accepting, knowing where it came from. But he also saw something in their eyes. Kindness. Confusion. Humanity.
For those twelve days, he didn’t feel fear — he felt human connection, even in the unlikeliest place.
Dnyan’s story reminded me how quickly we judge others without understanding what shaped them. Some take the wrong path. Others never had a choice. People often ask him how he survives in uncertain places or why he isn’t afraid. His answer is simple:
“Humanity doesn’t fear humanity.”
He lives by love, truth, and non-violence — not as lofty ideals, but as everyday practice. He walks the talk, even when no one’s watching.
The first time I met Dnyan, something in me shifted. He helped me see that change doesn’t always start with something big. It begins with the choices we make, the conversations we have, and the way we treat each other.
So here’s to small ripples that grow into waves. To ordinary people doing extraordinary things. And to the quiet courage it takes to live with purpose.