A cycle expedition with a cause

Faisal Latif, a student from Patna is on a cycle expedition from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. The 18-year-old arrived the City on Sunday to spread the message of staying strong and fit by not indulging in smoking and drinking.

Faisal started his expedition from Srinagar on December 2 and cycled through Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh before reaching the City.  He will further pedal through the roads of Tamil Nadu and conclude his journey in Kanyakumari.

Faisal says that his ambition is to join the Indian Army and serve the nation.  “This cycle expedition is a wild adventure, which I took up after I heard about an Army officer who had gone on a similar expedition. I wanted to experience it. Although it is a lonely journey, I feel great,” he says.

Cycling for nearly 10 hours a day, Faisal has developed pain in his knees. Despite the fatigue, he says that he wants to do it again and may be on a motorcycle some day.

Faisal manages to stay in dhabas, temples and dharmashalas during the nights. He avoids staying in hotels as it takes away the adventure element in the expedition.  “It is interesting to know how inquisitive people are when they approach me and ask all sorts of questions. Many are even helpful,” he added.

Faisal did not undergo any special training or took any cycling lessons before the expedition.

But he has attended mountaineering classes and has climbed many peaks.  He draws his inspiration from the Italian mountaineer/adventurer Reinhold Messner who is termed the ‘greatest climber in history.’

A fan of cricketer Rahul Dravid, Faisal visited ‘The Wall,’ constructed with 10,000 bricks, dedicated to the cricketer at M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Monday.