The 65-year-old, who documented his travels through thousands of photographs and stories from the road, arrived on May 9 at Dewan Rakyat Taman Batu Caves in Selangor – the very place where he began his epic journey on Jan 2, 2023.
More than 200 people attended the homecoming event organised by Stevan Mok of the group Jivatma Bikers. Katiravan was greeted by family, friends, fellow bikers and well-wishers, as well as Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari and other dignitaries.
“This is a proud achievement for me and for Malaysia,” Katiravan said. “The journey taught me that the world is a beautiful place filled with wonderful people.
“It also made me reflect on how fortunate we are to live in Malaysia – a beautiful country where different communities coexist in harmony, the infrastructure is well developed, and the cost of living remains reasonable.”
The journey lasted 1,223 days and took him across deserts, mountain passes, endless highways and remote backroads stretching through Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, China and Southeast Asia.
Where roads ended and oceans began, Katiravan boarded flights while Parameswara was transported by air or sea freight before the adventure resumed on land.
For the final leg of the expedition, he rode from Bihar in India through Nepal and Tibet, before crossing southern China, Laos and Thailand on his way back to Malaysia.
But the expedition was about more than simply riding around the world. Katiravan was on a mission to raise awareness about global warming, planting saplings and introducing his homeland to communities along the way.
During the journey, he planted 190 trees and engaged with more than 6,000 people about Malaysia and his objectives. He also delivered talks at schools, higher-education institutions, and even aboard a vessel to Antarctica.
The retired electrician made enormous sacrifices to realise his dream, including selling a property to finance the journey and spending almost 3.5 years away from his family.
Still, he said every hardship was worth it.
Katiravan had dreamt of being a global traveller since his youth, though he only began seriously pursuing it in 2018 with a six-country Asian trial trip.
He experienced some of the world’s most breathtaking and unforgiving landscapes. He rode through the icy wilderness of Antarctica and Alaska, marvelled at Peru’s mysterious Nazca Lines and Egypt’s pyramids, crossed Iran before conflict engulfed the region, and reached Everest Base Camp from the Chinese side.
In Mongolia, he was caught in a violent sandstorm with nowhere to shelter across the vast open plains. In Guyana, torrential rain and muddy dirt tracks turned a 460km stretch into a gruelling four-day ordeal.
In Patagonia, he battled powerful crosswinds that made riding extremely difficult, while Tibet’s high-altitude mountain passes tested his endurance with thin air and freezing conditions.
Beyond physical challenges, Katiravan also had to navigate shifting geopolitics, avoid conflict zones, endure long stretches of isolation, and continue riding even when GPS signals failed in remote areas.
What stayed with him was “the unbelievable kindness of strangers I met along the way, even in remote places”, he said.
“They provided me food, shelter, and even helped with laundry. Many joined my tree-planting activities and some celebrated my birthdays with me. I’m blessed to have met people who truly appreciated my journey,” Katiravan added.
Biker communities across different countries followed his progress through media reports and social media, while in Saudi Arabia, authorities even arranged a police escort after learning about his mission.
The journey also challenged many assumptions he once held. Medellín in Colombia, once infamous for violent drug cartels, felt vibrant and peaceful, while Iran left a lasting impression with its warmth and hospitality.
In many places, he said, locals welcomed him warmly and freely opened their homes to him whenever hotels or inns were unavailable.
Naturally, his travels attracted international attention. In Bihar, a Russian tourist recognised him from a television interview broadcast in Moscow.
In Tibet, Malaysian tourists spotted him at Shangri-La, while elsewhere in India, many stopped him for selfies after following his story online.
Yet in some regions, particularly parts of Latin America and Africa, many people knew little about Malaysia beyond the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
“I would open the map and show them Malaysia’s geographical location and the many interesting facts about our country,” Katiravan said.
Throughout the expedition, he made it a point to visit Malaysian diplomatic missions abroad, where he often found support, companionship and a taste of home. His final stop was the Malaysian embassy in Nepal, where he planted his 109th tree before beginning the ride home.
Technology proved invaluable throughout the journey. The internet became an essential companion, helping him stay connected to loved ones while easing homesickness and keeping him updated on events back home.
Google Maps and the BMW Navigator V GPS guided him through unfamiliar terrain, while Google Translate helped bridge language barriers.
Even his Malaysian ATM card worked in most places, allowing him to withdraw local currency in remote parts of Latin America and Africa!
And of course, there was one constant throughout the journey: Parameswara, his BMW R 1200 GSA bike. “It never failed me,” Katiravan said simply.
Wherever Parameswara, bearing its Malaysian registration plate, rolled in, it drew crowds. Curious locals would climb aboard, posing for photographs and marvelling at the machine that carried the Malaysian rider around the world.
Now back home, Katiravan says he may write a book chronicling his adventures, having received encouragement from biker communities and supporters from around the world.
He has no intention of letting go of the machine that carried him across continents. “No doubt there are people ready to buy Parameswara, but I plan to keep it and continue going on joyrides and rides with bikers’ clubs,” he said.
For Katiravan, the journey was never just about seeing the world. It was also about sharing its beauty, connecting with people across cultures and, in his own way, leaving behind a better Earth for future generations.