Father and daughter were in the city as part of the Beti Bachao Mission skating rally organised by the Gujarat Pradesh Agarwal Sammelan.
It is said that films are a source of inspiration, and Jagdish Pandya personifies this. He was so touched by the film
Aa Gale Lag Ja, starring Shashi Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore, that he took to skating seriously. His efforts have resulted in a skating marathon champion in the form of his daughter, Sheetal.
Father and daughter were in the city as part of the Beti Bachao Mission skating rally organised by the Gujarat Pradesh Agarwal Sammelan.
“I was very impressed by the plot of the film and Shashi Kapoor's character. I must have watched it at least a dozen times,” Pandya said.
The film, directed by Manmohan Desai, revolves around young lovers, whose breezy romance warms up on the skating rink, but turns tragic when circumstances force them apart. The film also features a touching performance by Master Tito, who played a disabled child who reunites the couple. Like Tito's performance in the film, Sheetal's feats have made everyone proud. "I am very proud of my daughter. She has balanced skating and her social activities to perfection," Pandya said.
This skating family has raised Rs16 lakh till date for cancer research through marathon skating. "This is my 14th marathon skating challenge. We are facing the grave problem of a skewed male-female ratio. I want every girl child to be given equal importance in society," 24-year-old Sheetal said.
She has taken five months' leave from her office in Mumbai. The roller-skating rally, which will cover 5,132 km, began from the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi in January.
Joining the father-daughter duo is Pratik Vyas, who cycles alongside. "I was motivated by Sheetal. Since I am not good at skating, I decided to cycle along," he said.
The group, which has travelled through Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan before entering Gujarat, will next proceed to Maharashtra before returning to Gujarat in May for the final leg. "The journey has been good. If this campaign helps to change the opinion of even five per cent of families, I will consider my mission a success," said Sheetal.
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