Cycling to Ladakh for a green cause

With the environment degrading at an alarming pace across India, there is a growing need to put brakes on our usage of fuel and adopt alternative means of transport. To arouse a sense of responsibility towards our surroundings, a young Gujarati, based in Bangalore, has embarked on a bicycle tour from Bangalore to Ladakh, covering a distance of 9,000 km.

Kashyap Raval, who embarked on this adventurous journey on February 16, stopped en route in Ahmedabad on Monday. Before taking up this adventurous initiative, Raval, 25, was a business analyst in a financial firm. “I wanted to meet people from all walks of life and know different cultures. I used to ride 150 km every day, while I met a lot of people who rode 500 km at a stretch. It motivated me to take a stride and come out of my comfort zone,” said Raval, who has a keen interest in mountaineering and cycling.

The cyclist has already covered 3,000 km, passing through Udupi, Munnar, Alapadu, Kochi, Goa, Belgaum, Pune, Nasik, Saputara, Surat and Vadodara. In future, he aspires to ride for charity. “I want people to get inspired; I think it is our collective responsibility,” he said during his Ahmedabad sojourn.

Cycling on the rugged terrain through rural areas was a memorable experience for Raval, who could interact and create awareness on the way. He believes that villagers are friendlier and helpful compared to urban folks. “I learnt new languages while interacting with people throughout this journey,” he said, while adding, “I picked up a few words of Malayalam, too.”