The tea seller couple travelled 23 countries is died. KR Vijayan (71), a poor tea trader from Kochi who traveled to 26 countries with his wife Mohana and earned the moniker “traveling pair,” died on Friday, three weeks after his last journey to Russia.
He died of a heart attack in a private hospital in Ernakulam, according to his relatives. His wife and two daughters survive him. Before his most recent journey to Russia, HT had featured him. He died without being able to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as he had wished. “I’d like to meet Prime Minister Modi for the first time.” He, like me, comes from a poor background and began his career as a tea vendor. “I have a lot of respect for him,” he had stated.
The pair became famous for their world travels, which they sponsored with the meager profits from their tea shop in Kochi’s Kadavanthara. Many celebrities have praised the pair, including industrialist Anand Mahindra, actors Amitabh Bachchan and Anupam Kher, and writer-politician Shashi Tharoor.
The couple’s trip to Russia (October 21-28) made news as they embarked on a new adventure; after a two-year hiatus owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. PA Mohammad Riyas, Kerala’s tourism minister, had also visited them before their departure to Russia. The Konganis’ first trip was to Israel in 2007; and they went on to visit 26 different countries after that which is amazing.
After 40 years of running a tea shop, the couple became bitten by the travel bug; after their two children married. They had to take out loans several times to pay for their travel expenses. “It is often said that the finest teacher is experienced. Before their trip to Russia, the pair had declared, “Travel is the best experience that makes you richer.”