Travel

Karnataka is fast becoming one of the most popular medical tourism destinations in India, with patients all over the world coming in to obtain high-quality yet inexpensive healthcare. Having a well established network of healthcare facilities, qualified medical practitioners, and favorable government support, the state stands to greatly reap the fruit of the growing healthcare travel industry.

The Rising Indian Medical Tourism and increasing role of Karnataka.

The Ministry of Tourism reported that India received more than 1.31 lakh foreign medical tourists between January and April 2025, comprising 4.1% of all foreign tourists in the period. Medical tourism is on the rise in the country due to the availability of advanced medical technology, specially trained doctors, low costs of treatment and short waiting times.

In this context, Karnataka, which hosts major medical hubs such as Bengaluru and Mysuru is getting prominence. Bengaluru in particular is distinguished with the highest number of medical centers and facilities like Sakra Premium Clinic, which specializes in fertility care and has begun to grow by building new quaternary care hospitals like SPARSH Hospitals. Karnataka has a a vast network of allopathic and AYUSH practitioners, enhancing the state’s appeal to holistic and integrative health services.

Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences: A Medical Education Pillar

Dr BC Bhagwan, the Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) highlighted the role of Karnataka in the development of the health sector in India. RGUHS which began with only 153 institutions in 1996, now manages up to 1,500 medical colleges and up to 3 lakh students, employing 14,000 faculty. With its large pool of skilled healthcare professionals, Karnataka is growing its medical tourism industry by generating continuous healthcare innovations and potential.

Addressing Health and Lifestyle Challenges in Youth 

Karnataka is a healthcare and tourism hub that is also paying attention to preventative health. Dr Bhagwan pointed out dangerous tendencies, including rising levels of hypertension in young people (14%) and substance addiction in as many as 40% of students surveyed in Bengaluru. Intervention in lifestyle diseases via teaching, yoga, nutrition, and pollution are also essential to maintain the progress of the health system.

International Connectivity and Government Initiatives

The government and state governments of India have taken essential steps to promote the growth of medical tourism, such as e-medical visas granted to citizens of 171 countries, hospital upgrades through a mix of government and business alliances, as well as medical tourism branding under the slogan of Heal in India.

The Karnataka government projects facilitate wellness tourism in combination with medical treatment and wellness resorts and Ayurveda centers that are located all over the world and provide alternative medicines. The overall patient experience is also improved through improved transport and hospitality services in the state.

Strategic Advantage of Karnataka in Healthcare Infrastructure

The state is endowed with a high population of medical institutions with both, government and privately owned hospitals with state-of-the-art technology and international standards. The number of healthcare professionals per population is gradually increasing, and attempts are being made to equalize the urban-rural imbalance by making medical graduates mandatory to serve in rural areas and integrating traditional medicine practitioners into government healthcare.

Economic and Educational Impact

Medical tourism directly increases the economy of Karnataka by creating job opportunities in hospitals, tourism, hospitality industry and other related industries. This is supported by educational institutions, healthcare training programs such as the Creative Education Foundation and other institutions known to produce gold-medalist professionals.

Karnataka is on the verge of a long-term expansion because of the increased demand of cosmetic surgery, fertility treatments, cancer care, and minimally invasive procedures. Its competitive advantage is augmented by developments in robotic surgery and stem cell treatments. The state is also the destination of medical tourists seeking wellness packages that blend Ayurveda with modern medicine.

The rise of Karnataka as a medical tourism hub represents an effective combination of quality health care, education, government intervention and wellness practices. It promises a brighter future to international patients to get affordable and world-class treatment and also meet the health needs of its increasing population. This industry not only improves the international health image of India but also helps in improving the socio-economic status of the state of Karnataka and its citizens.

Traveling through Europe is glamorous, expensive, and normally out of one's league—but not necessarily. For IIT alumna Kanak Agrawal, making the journey to four European countries for over a month cost her an iPhone. Her key: a resourceful, creative, and adventurous spirit to take risks or two beyond the comfort zone. Kanak's story verifies that one doesn't need to blow expensive budgets on adventures—meaning that smart planning, engaging with individuals locally, and living experiences over agendas is the way to proceed.

In 2017, having quit her job, Kanak traveled alone to Euro with a paltry sum of money. She visited the Netherlands, France, Prague, and Budapest in 35 days for a mere INR 1 lakh—inclusive of flights. It wasn't about saving money; it was about experiencing the people, culture, and food at each place in a real sense.

Volunteering

Kanak volunteered with an eco-village in the Netherlands, where she had food and accommodations taken care of for two weeks. "I didn't want to be a 'tourist' ticking things off a list," she said. Living in daily life, she was able to get around the countryside around Amsterdam for free, offering her time.

Couchsurfing

She then moved to couchsurfing and lived with locals in the Netherlands and Prague. She not only saved money but also met wonderful people who toured her around and who remain her friends for life.

Spontaneity and old friendships

Just 20 days before leaving Netherlands, she quickly booked a bus, and her friend happily hosted her. "Even if you’re planning everything, it’s always a good idea to visit an old friend in a new country, " she said.

Cheaper destinations

She also deliberately chose lower-cost regions. Budapest and Prague offered historic depth at non-European prices. Prague was an added 4-day extension from Paris to Budapest, so it made it stretch her dollars without giving up experiences.

Kanak quotes that her experience was a learning curve in flexibility and courage. She had no pre-formatted plans or pre-formatted itinerary—she started small, stayed normal, and let things occur naturally.

We all wish to live a city like a native. For IIT-Kanpur graduate Kanak Agrawal, it was also about connecting. Taking a risk that few of us would ever do, she abandoned hotels and hostels and lived with complete strangers—people whom she had only known over the web. What ensued was not just a frugal tip, but a journey that changed the way she looked at travel, trust, and human beings.

On Instagram, Kanak posted that she was during the summer of 2017 when she had quit her job and was on a month-long budget tour in Europe. During her travels, she had chanced upon Couchsurfing—where locals offer free accommodation to travelers. One woman she had met in Amsterdam had told her about it, and she went and joined, sending out a few requests. That was a lone action, she said, that turned everything around.

Before long, she was bedding down with strangers in Prague, Amsterdam, and Utrecht. They shared meals, toured the city, and exchanged stories she remembers clearly today. "Couchsurfing wasn't so much about being cheap. It was about connection," she said.

Then, the concept wasn't popular in India. But Kanak went ahead and experimented with it—and was pleasantly surprised to find hosts available in almost all the cities. Even when she moved to Mysore recently, she skipped the hotel and couchsurfed again. "I stayed with Bala for 4 days until I found a place to rent.".

He was like a friend in a new town. No sooner had she moved into her new place than she invited him in for supper. That humble supper was housewarming. "No big party. Just a homey supper with someone who made a new city feel a little bit like home."

In her blog, Kanak left readers wondering about a problem clearly puts individuals out of their comfort zones: "Would you dare to try this?"

Internet reacts

Comments were filled with a mix of emotions: excitement, questioning, and even anxiety. Someone commented that they'd been a member for 20+ years, and someone else mentioned their first couchsurfing trip in Indonesia and said they'd been so moved by the kindness of strangers that they hoped one day they'd be able to describe to Kanak how it had changed them.

Someone else admitted to being scared to do so but was urged to try it on their next trip. Another user asked a very pointed safety question about traveling as a woman in India.

Kanak responded she has always had a good experience and reiterated the necessity of carefully reading host reviews and communicating beforehand before making a booking. Another reader concurred with her response, further mentioning that the comments on the platform cannot be deleted or altered, hence it is even harder to fake or cover up obnoxious comments.

Some of the greatest lessons in history didn’t stay in classrooms but walked across mountains. Mentioned in “The Record of the Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang,” Bodhidharma did not travel but spread the message of peace and ahimsa across the globe, mostly in China. His journey wasn’t just physical; it carried ideas that changed cultures.  

The origin of the monk’s story remains a mystery to date. Contemporaries of Bodhidharma wrote two known extant accounts. According to these sources, Bodhidharma came from the Western Regions, and is described as either a "Persian Central Asian" or a "South Indian, the third son of a great Indian king." Later sources draw on these two sources, adding additional details, including a change to being descended from a Brahmin king, which accords with the reign of the Pallavas, who "claimed to belong to a brahmin lineage." Bodhidharma was the one who traveled the sea/land route to China, intending to spread Mahayana Buddhism across the country. 

His contributions to the development of present-day Buddhism in China are unparalleled. He introduced Zen(Chan) Buddhism and popularized its concept across the land in the 5th or 6th century. Zen, in Bodhidharma's view, is not about intellectual study or reliance on scriptures, but about direct experience and seeing one's nature. His teachings included meditative practices rooted in discipline. He was connected with the Shaolin Temple, legendary for Chan psychology and martial arts. 

The account of Bodhidharma in the Luoyan Record does not particularly associate him with meditation, but rather depicts him as a thaumaturge. Thaumaturge, especially in Christianity, is the art of performing prodigies or miracles. More generically, it refers to the practical application of magic to effect change in the physical world. Historically, thaumaturgy has been associated with a supernatural or divine ability, the manipulation of natural forces, the creation of wonders, and the performance of magical feats through esoteric knowledge and ritual practice.

Just like the quote that says- “Wisdom knows no national boundary”, his journey shows how one person’s knowledge can reshape an entire civilization. 

What students can learn from his journey is that learning itself is not limited to geography. Ideas become richer when they travel and evolve across cultures. One should always be open to knowledge from unexpected places. 

A student needs to be Bodhidharma because their minds are curious, mobile, and open to cross-cultural learning. This would not only help sharpen the minds but also gain confidence. It is very important for one to be Bodhidharma in this time because “After all, the greatest minds never stayed in one place for too long.”

By Jishnu Mukherjee

Textbooks teach you theories. Travel teaches you reality. Traveling, even for short or local trips, offers powerful learning experiences that classrooms cannot always provide. Books help you gain knowledge, but traveling enables you to learn beyond books. The things you learn while traveling often leave a lasting mark, far deeper than anything learned in a classroom. This is very crucial and matters a lot for students in order for them to grow in life and career.

Travel exposes you to real people, cultures, stories, and lifestyles. These are the experiences that shape how a person would perceive the world outside that a book could have never been able to. For instance, learning a language. A book might help you figure your way through the vocabulary, but as it goes by, the quote- "The best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in the place, the people, and the culture that speaks it." While books just teach you theories, traveling teaches you adaptability, awareness, and emotional intelligence.

Traveling can teach you a lot of things in ways you would never expect it would. Visiting historical places makes history real. Interacting with new communities builds empathy and understanding. Student exchanges / educational trips foster curiosity and openness, which is very important for young minds for their healthy growth. Solo travel, group travel, or even volunteering somewhere builds independence and teamwork. These values and lessons are things no textbook can truly teach. 

Why does this matter for students? This helps discover interests and career goals. Students often get caught up in exams, curricula, and academic pressure, losing sight of their true goals or where their passions lie. Traveling does not just help them connect with life and nature, but themselves too. It encourages critical thinking, resilience, and confidence. 

Not all classrooms have four walls.

Travel is not just a break from routine; it’s an extension of your education. History has been a witness that the greatest learnings have always come from traveling. Some people barely know their hometown, simply because their lives revolve around work and routine. If you want to learn and grow better than people around you, it is by traveling that you will.

According to a study by Columbia Business School, students who studied or traveled abroad were significantly more creative in tasks that needed original thinking compared to those who didn’t. While there’s no "magic number," many psychologists and wellness experts suggest that taking at least 1-2 meaningful trips a year, even short ones, can reset your brain, improve mental clarity, and enhance perspective.

By Jishnu Mukherjee

Something interesting is happening in the way Gen Z in India is choosing to travel. More and more young people are packing a single backpack, booking one-way tickets, and heading out alone. Not with their families. Not with friends. Just themselves, a destination, and a lot of curiosity. Solo travel isn’t just a phase for this generation,it’s becoming a mindset.

For Gen Z, travel is less about luxury and more about freedom. They want to move at their own pace, decide their own itinerary, skip the crowded tourist spots, and maybe even change plans halfway through. The idea of being alone in a new city or surrounded by strangers in a hostel isn’t scary to them,it’s exciting. It gives them space to think, to reflect, to be exactly who they are without needing to perform for anyone else.

One of the most noticeable things about this shift is the rise of solo female travelers in India. This would’ve been almost unthinkable just a generation ago. Safety is still a concern, of course, but young women today are navigating it differently. They’re smart about where they go, they plan more carefully, they trust their instincts, and they have ways to connect with other women travelers online. A lot of them are choosing places like Kasol, Varkala, or Auroville, not just because they’re beautiful but because they’re known for being relatively safe and open-minded.

What’s changing, too, is how Gen Z defines travel itself. It’s not about checking off famous landmarks to collect Instagram posts. It’s about experiences. Volunteering at an animal shelter in the hills, Spending three days doing nothing at a beachside homestay, Talking to strangers over chai. Sometimes even traveling just to feel lost on purpose. That hunger for something real-not curated, not commercial, just real,is what sets Gen Z travel sets apart from previous generations.

Youth travel culture in India is becoming more flexible and more reflective. These young travelers don’t always have big budgets, but they know how to make it work. They’ll take the cheapest bus, share rooms with strangers, and freelance while traveling. It’s not about having money,it’s about making the trip meaningful.

And no, it’s not like every Gen Z is suddenly running away to the mountains whenever they feel like.Travel is still a privilege. Not everyone has the time, freedom, or support to do it. But those who can are starting to treat travel as something essential, not indulgent. Something that helps them grow up, not escape. And slowly, that’s changing how we all think about movement.

The rise of solo travel among Gen Z in India is about more than where they’re going. It’s about how they’re choosing to go. It’s about independence, confidence, and the belief that you don’t always need a plan,or a partner to go somewhere new.

So, when we talk about solo travelling in India, it’s more than a trend; it’s a reflection of a generation quietly reshaping what it means to explore.  These journeys aren’t about showing off or chasing picture-perfect moments; they’re about finding freedom, learning to trust your instincts, and discovering what really matters when you’re on your own. As more young Indians pack their bags and set out alone, they’re rewriting the rules of travel by proving that one doesn’t need a crowd to feel confident, or a big budget to feel alive. In the end, solo travel for Gen Z isn’t just about the places they visit, but about the stories they collect and the person they become along the way 


By Aditi Sawarkar