The turning point came when a friend of his son bought a bicycle and left it at their home. One day, he decided to participate in a 5 KM cycling rally organized by Ramkrishna Care Hospital. It was during this event at Marine Drive, Raipur, that he came across a poster announcing the C.R.M. 202 Ride, organized by cycling club C3.
The poster caught his attention, but what happened next changed everything. Cyclists Bhargava Iyengar, Naveen Richhariya, and Pinaki Banerjee encouraged him to join their group and registered him for the challenging 202 KM ride.
He began training with whatever time he had. But just before the event, the bicycle he had been using was unexpectedly taken back by its owner. For someone who had already committed to the challenge, stepping back was not an option.
He bought a new bicycle from the market—and completed his first 202 KM ride on a non-geared MTB bicycle.
That ride became the beginning of an extraordinary cycling journey.
Since then, there has been no looking back.
Today, at 65 years of age, he remains an active rider of Tour De Raipur (TDR) and regularly participates in cycling events and rides organized by cycling clubs across Raipur.
For him, cycling is not simply about distance, speed, or achievements. It is about staying active, challenging oneself, discovering new roads, and continuing to live with enthusiasm at every age.
At 65, he believes there are still countless roads to explore and many more cycling journeys waiting to be completed.
His philosophy is simple:
“I will keep cycling for as long as life allows me to.”
A true example of determination, consistency, and the belief that age is never a barrier to starting something new.
An inspiration to the TDR community and a proud, active rider of Tour De Raipur.
Achievements
- 20,000+ KM of cycling recorded on Strava
- Completed BRM 200 KM three times
- Completed a 100 KM BRM
- Participated in Tour De Raipur events and rides
- Completed 3,300 KM in 100 days under the HDOR challenge
- Successfully completed the TDR Monsoon Challenge and earned the Finisher title
- Continues to participate actively in long-distance and endurance cycling events
TDR
