It's 10 a.m. and an eatery at the New Delhi Railway Station is bursting at seams with travellers. Nishant Sinha, 23, is slurping his morning cuppa, thrilled as he sets out on his maiden sojourn to the mighty Himalayas -- all by himself.

Sinha, fresh out of an engineering college in the capital, is amongst a growing breed of young Indian travellers who believe that a backpack is the best companion on a trip and travelling alone is the best way to explore yourself.