Biography

Pradeep Mehra is a young Indian Army aspirant and an employee at McDonalds who shot to overnight fame when filmmaker Vinod Kapri posted a video of Pradeep running back to his home from his workplace at night and refusing to take any sort of help or lift to continue his training for his selection in the Indian army.Pradeep lives with his elder brother Pankaj in village Barola, Noida. His parents live in his hometown, Almora, Uttarakhand. Reportedly, his mother is hospitalized, and his father takes care of her. Pradeep Mehra with his mother.In the video, Vinod offers the sweat-soaked lad, who is running back to his home at night, a lift in his car. Pradeep declines the offer and says that it is his routine to run back around 10 km from his workplace in sec-16 Noida to his home in Barola.Upon being asked the reason for running at night, Pradeep replied that he wakes up early and cooks breakfast before leaving for his work, which makes it difficult for him to spare time for practice.The sincere effort and hard work of Pradeep moved a lot of people on social media, which escalated the views of the video. Within 24 hours of being posted, the video went viral.Pradeep was appreciated by various actors, sportspersons, and other celebrities. Manish Sisodiya, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi also tweeted and appreciated the dedication and willpower shown by Pradeep.Retired General Satish Dua commented on the Josh that Pradeep showcased.Film producer and photographer Atul Kasbekar also reached out to Vinod Kapri and asked for Pradeeps address to send him a sports kit with running shoes, apparel, and a backpack from Puma.Upon being asked about his inspiration in an interview, Pradeep said that he had been listening to the stories of soldiers since childhood, which inspired him to become one.In an interview, Pradeep revealed that after his video got viral, his house flooded with people including his friends and media. He also disclosed that he received around 100-200 calls and messages to wish him luck.