AI Generated Summary
- The Indian-origin American, who made history as the first Sikh space tourist and one of only a handful of people to have visited every UN-recognised country, was recently in Amritsar to pay obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib.
- Over the years, Bahal has travelled to both the North and South Poles, skydived near Mount Everest and over the Egyptian pyramids, and undertaken numerous expeditions that few dare to attempt.
- While Bahal declined to reveal how much he spent on the spaceflight, he considers the experience priceless.
For most people, turning 81 is a time to slow down and reflect on past achievements. For Arvinder Singh Bahal, however, it is another chapter in a lifelong quest for exploration, adventure and discovery.
The Indian-origin American, who made history as the first Sikh space tourist and one of only a handful of people to have visited every UN-recognised country, was recently in Amritsar to pay obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib. Yet even after travelling across the globe — and beyond it — Bahal remains focused on finding new destinations to explore.
His latest ambition is to secure permission to visit The Wave, a spectacular sandstone formation in Arizona, United States. Access to the site is tightly regulated through a lottery system, with only a limited number of visitors allowed each day. An avid wildlife photographer and nature enthusiast, Bahal hopes to capture the landscape’s unique beauty through his lens.
“Age has never been a barrier for me,” he says. “The challenge now is obtaining permission to visit The Wave. It is one of the most sought-after natural attractions in America.”
Bahal added another remarkable achievement to his résumé on August 3, 2025, when he journeyed into space aboard Blue Origin’s NS-34 mission. The flight lifted off from West Texas with six crew members on board and lasted approximately 15 minutes, but the experience left a lasting impression.
Recalling the mission, he described the extraordinary sensation of accelerating beyond the speed of sound before reaching the edge of space.
“I experienced weightlessness and microgravity. Looking back at Earth from that altitude was unforgettable,” he said.
The return journey, he noted, was equally dramatic. As the capsule descended, intense gravitational forces briefly pressed against his body, creating a sensation unlike anything he had felt before.
While Bahal declined to reveal how much he spent on the spaceflight, he considers the experience priceless.
Born in Agra and raised in Jalandhar Cantonment, Bahal moved to the United States in 1975. He initially built a business importing garments from India and Taiwan before transitioning into the real-estate sector, where he established himself successfully.
Adventure, however, remained his true passion.
Over the years, Bahal has travelled to both the North and South Poles, skydived near Mount Everest and over the Egyptian pyramids, and undertaken numerous expeditions that few dare to attempt.
Among his most memorable experiences was a polar plunge in 2002, when he immersed himself in icy Arctic waters wearing only swimming trunks.
His extensive travels have also shaped his worldview.
“Travel teaches you that the world is much bigger than your own surroundings,” he said. “It helps you appreciate different cultures and strengthens human connections.”
Bahal’s extraordinary journeys have already been documented in his coffee-table book Tireless Traveler. He is now working on a second volume, My Planet My Playground, which will chronicle his adventures across continents, oceans and even outer space.
Having already conquered the globe and ventured beyond Earth’s atmosphere, Bahal continues to prove that curiosity knows no age limit. For the octogenarian explorer, the next great adventure is always waiting just beyond the horizon.
