Driven by personal trauma, Kanak Mani Dixit, the editor of a Kathmandu-based magazine Himal, had launched a campaign against spinal injuries in April 2002. Then, on July 12, he undertook a 1,200-kilometre journey across three nations in a Volkswagen Beetle to raise funds for the cause.

Dixit had met with an accident while trekking in August 2000. The mishap left his back severely damaged. Though he did recover after prolonged treatment, his experience made him empathise with patients suffering from spinal injuries. Consequently, he played a vital role in setting up the Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre in Kathmandu, Nepal, which has received overwhelming response.

Spinal injuries are a serious cause for worry in the Himalayan kingdom. A disproportionately large number of people suffer such injuries from falls endured while collecting fodder or transporting consumables on precipitous trails.