Cyclists celebrate World Bicycle Day in Mangaluru, Udupi

MANGALURU

Cyclists in Mangaluru and Udupi enthusiastically participated in bicycle rallies organised by respective district administrations in association with Nehru Yuva Kendra to mark World Bicycle Day and Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav on Friday

Additional Deputy Commissioner, Dakshina Kannada, Krishnamurthy flagged off the rally at the district office premises in Mangaluru. Members of Mangalore Cycling Club (MACC) participated in the rally in good numbers. MACC, Mangalore University’s NSS, Yenepoya University and NCC had joined hands to organise the rally.

Cyclists rode through Mangaladevi, Morgans Gate, Jeppinamogaru and Thokkottu to reassemble at Rani Abbakka statue in Ullal. DK Zilla Panchayat Deputy Secretary Anand Kumar, NSS Coordinator Ashwini Shetty, Yuva Kendra’s K. Jagadish, MACC convener Anil Shet, Konaje Grameena Yuvaka Mandala President Abdul Rehman and others were present.

Ullal CMC Commissioner Rayappa addressed the riders at a programme organised at the CMC office later and explained the importance of cycling in maintaining health, preserving environment and other benefits. On this occasion, Mr. Shet who has clocked 1 lakh km on bicycle in the last seven years, was felicitated.

At Udupi, Deputy Commissioner M. Kurma Rao flagged off the rally jointly organised by Yuva Kendra, Udupi Cycling Club and the Zilla Panchayat at the district office complex in Rajatadri, Manipal. He rode with the cyclists accompanied by Kundapura Divisional Forest Officer Ashish Reddy. The rally culminated at Malpe Beach where a formal programme was held to mark the Day.

Eminent cyclists, Gururaj Krishnamurthy, Rajesh Nayak, Thilakchandra Pal, Rajesh Bhaktha, Ganesh Nayak, Srinidhi Urala and Regon D’Silva were felicitated on the occasion. Whiel Mr. D’Silva runs St Antony’s Cycle Works in Udupi, Mr. Urala is a National level cyclist and has won many accolades, Mr. Ganesh Nayak has been a Himalaya Rider twice and a Trans Europe cyclist and Dr. Bhakta, Dr. Pal and Mr. Nayak had won Super Randonneur titles in 2019-20 and Dr. Krishnamurthy had won this in 2020-21.

District Youth Office Wilfred D’Souza, Youth Empowerment and Sports assistant director Santhosh Kumar and others were present.