Paracyclist rides 1,450 km to raise funds

In order to raise funds for artificial limbs for other amputees, a para-cyclist with only one leg rode all the way from Delhi to Mumbai.

The Hyderabad-based para-cyclist, Aditya Mehta, who runs Aditya Mehta Foundation started his journey from India Gate, Delhi on December 14 and ended it in Mumbai on on Sunday at the Gateway of India. IPS officer Akun Sabharwal and Telangana state vice -president, Youth Congress Rajeev Reddy Malchety accompanied Aditya on his 1,450-km journey from Delhi to Mumbai.

The endurance ride was aimed at raising funds for the foundation to provide amputees with artificial limbs, fund their education and to provide sports equipment specially designed for the physically challenged. In addition to it, Aditya aims to raise awareness about sports for the athletes with disabilities and also help the personnel from police and paramilitary forces, who lost their limbs when on duty.

B Shravan, CEO of Vignan educational institutions in Hyderabad; M. Vinay Babu, vice-president and academics head, banking at HCL Talent care from Chennai; Deep Udeshi owner,Vibrant Publishers from Mumbai and Abhishek Kumar from Standard Charted Bank from Mumbai came forward to join Aditya in his 500km ride till Mumbai.Aditya holds a double silver medal at the Asian Para—Cycling Championships held in 2013.He lost a leg in an accident a few years back. The fact that Adyta’s right leg had to be amputated above the knee did not deter his determination to indulge in sports and he got addicted to cycling. Thereafter, he started to organise such rides to spread awareness and raise funds for the needy.

Social justice and empowerment minister, Krishan Pal Gurjar, flagged off the ride at Delhi. “It is a great initiative undertaken by Aditya, even most able-bodied athletes cannot take up this challenging ride, but Aditya’s motivation comes from the cause,” said Mr Gurjar.