INDIA. Mumbai: Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais felicitated the members of the Armed Forces who recently successfully completed the first “HindAyan Annual National Multi-Stage Cycling Race Cum Expedition”, at Raj Bhavan in South Mumbai on Wednesday, April 5.
The Governor also felicitated the senior officers of the government who supported the event. The cycling race and expedition was organised between New Delhi and Pune (Maharashtra) by the “HindAyan Foundation” from February 5 to February 19.
A multi-stage cycle race was held along the lines of the famous Tour de France. The expedition was flagged off from New Delhi’s National War Memorial and culminated at Pune after traversing over 1,600 km. Nearly 100 cyclists pedal off in a gruelling expedition.
Speaking on the occasion, the Governor complimented the team “HindAyan” for introducing the nationwide cycling race in the country and complimented the participants from the Armed Forces for completing it.
Founder of “HindAyan” Vishnudas Chapke, Additional Director General of Police Ravinder Singhal, Colonel Vimal Sethi, Lt. Colonel S Chowdhury, Captain Jayasanker, and MCPO Rishi Kumar were among those present.
The name “Hindayan” is derived from Sanskrit. “Hind” is the land from the Sindhu River to the Sindhu (Indian) Ocean, while “Ayan” means an expedition.
The Uttar Pradesh government had given special permission to ride on the Yamuna Motorway, on which no vehicle below four wheels is allowed to ply. Only the recent touchdown of the IAF’s fighter jet was an exception. Similarly, the Maharashtra government allowed cycling on the Bandra Worli Sea Link in Mumbai.
The team “HindAyan” cyclists visited Saraswati Vidyalaya High School and Junior College, in Thane, as a part of “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” on February 17. The team also called on the Army Southern Command, Pune, where it was given a hero’s welcome at the flag-in ceremony on February 19.
The expedition proceeded as follows: February 5-Delhi to Agra-221 km, February 6-rest in Agra, February 7- Agra to Jaipur 240 km, February 8-rest in Jaipur, February 9-Jaipur to Bhilwara 248 km via National Highway 48, February 10-Bhilwara to Udaipur 152 km via NH 48, February 11- rest in Udaipur, February 12-Udaipur to Ahmedabad 263 km via NH 48, February 13: rest in Ahmedabad, February 14-Ahmedabad to Surat 262 km via NH 48, February 15-rest in Surat, February 16- Surat to Thane 260 km via NH 48, February 17-rest in Thane, February 18-Thane to Mumbai 60 km and February 19-Mumbai to Pune 180 km via NH 48.
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