“I am 80 percent disabled,” says Nehaa Bhatt, who is an inspiration for all those who say disability can stop them from living their dreams.Her story is not just about learning to walk again after losing a leg in an accident but it is about refusing to let her disability describe her life. Today, Nehaa travels solo. She has undertaken some challenging pilgrimages with a prosthetic leg and refuses to let others take decisions for her. But her journey wasn’t easy. She also shares incidents which are painful reminders of how people with disabilities are judged.Who is Nehaa Bhatt?Bhatt was a schoolteacher with a secure future. Originally from Mahuva in Gujarat, she was working at a school in Gandhinagar. In November 2021, she met with an unfortunate road accident which changed her life overnight.As per her personal account, she was travelling on a Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) bus from Ahmedabad towards Mahuva when it collided with a truck. She was seated in the front row and suffered severe injuries. Her injuries were so bad that doctors had to amputate her left leg.The accident disrupted her whole life, career and independence. With the accident went away the future she had imagined for herself. Her recovery was a difficult process. But gradually, she began looking for a way forward.When she was not allowed inside a templeHowever, Bhatt’s experiences have not always been so happy or joyous.In August 2026, she described an incident at Ashapura Maa Temple in Jamnagar, Gujarat, where she said she was asked to leave the courtyard because she was wearing shorts. According to her, she was not entering the main shrine but was standing in the outer courtyard so that she could see the temple from afar.She also explained us that wearing shorts allowed her to manage her prosthetic leg better. She also alleged that people made hurtful remarks about her disability, including describing it as the result of “bad karma”. A pair of shorts might appear to be an ordinary clothing choice. For someone using a prosthetic limb, however, it is a practical and comfortable choice.Finding independence through a tea stallBhatt’s first steps towards rebuilding her career was establishing a tea stall. After losing her teaching job, she decided to start a small business near Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront and named it Ampu-Tea, a play on the word “amputee”. Her idea was to sell tea and earn a living. Her parents helped her, while crowdfunding and support from well-wishers helped her obtain a prosthetic leg.But her tea-selling journey was shortlived. Her original tea stall was dismantled following intervention over its location, leaving her distressed. Later, she decided to travel and explore.Kedarnath, Amarnath trek
The treks (Instagram)
For many pilgrims, reaching Kedarnath is a dream as it involves a demanding mountain trek. For Bhatt with a prosthetic leg, the journey required much more. In September 2026, she completed the approximately 19-km trek to Kedarnath for a second time. Now her goal is to visit all 12 Jyotirlingas, and she had visited seven by then.In July 2026, another video from her Instagram attracted attention as she undertook the Amarnath Yatra via the Baltal route. The footage showed her moving along the rugged mountain trail with her prosthetic leg, a walking stick and a forearm crutch.Her journeys are proof that disability disappears when someone has a strong will and determination. A prosthetic limb does not remove pain, or the practical difficulties, but Bhatt’s experiences show what becomes possible when a person is able to pursue an ambition.In October 2026, videos of her performing Garba with a prosthetic leg drew attention online. For Bhatt, the journey appears to be about more than reaching a destination. It is also about recovering the freedom to decide where she wants to go.Today, the name Ampu-Tea carries the story of a woman who turned a small cup of tea into a fresh beginning and continued to explore the world on her own terms.
