Pedal power: 4 cyclists to ride from Mumbai to Delhi

Four cycling enthusiasts, 21 days and a gruelling distance of 1,940km. Sucharita Kanjilal reports.

Four cycling enthusiasts, 21 days and a gruelling distance of 1,940km.

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In an attempt to raise money for underprivileged children, city-based financial consultant, Ranjul Goswami, 43, and his friends Anil Uchil, 42, Bertram Fonseca, 31, and Mallikarjun Singh, 28, will undertake a bicycle journey from the Gateway of India in Mumbai to the India Gate in Delhi, on Saturday.

Spearheaded by Goswami, the initiative, called Cycling4Change, has tied up with two not-for-profits organistions — Cankids, which works with children with cancer, and Magic Bus, which has a sports development programme for marginalised communities.

Having already raised Rs5 lakh, the group hopes to raise money through online pledges and donations.

“The idea is to do a multi-day ride between two great cities and two great monuments. The trip is a combination of a love for cycling and the desire to reach out to the most vulnerable section of our society,” said Goswami.

The cyclists will begin their journey on Saturday afternoon and will complete it on March 24. Their plan is to cycle for six hours daily at an average speed of 20km per hour with adequate stops for meals and rest.

Volunteers in a support vehicle will carry a spare bike, food, medicines and other necessary resources.

A trip such as this will also allow the riders to experience the thrills and challenges of a punishing road trip, which include living in hostels and eating at roadside dhabas. And like any other marathon, this one too has involved a great deal of physical training.

“I am a long distance, endurance cyclist, so I undertake journeys like this quite often. But this trip is special as it is a way of taking something we love and benefiting children in a very real way,” said Uchil.