JOIN USEvery fall has made me strong”, says Aditya Mehta with a clear conviction. Any instances of steely will and determination pale in comparison when the extraordinary achievements of the 32-year-old come in light.
He entered the Limca Book of Record in 2013 when he rode from London to Paris and again in 2014 for his 3,800 kms ride covering Kashmir to Kanyakumari in 32 days. But he has been cycling for a cause.
Around nine years back, in a fateful accident, Mehta lost his right leg. He was 23 and was healing the leg which is amputated above the knee. The unpredictability of life hit him so hard that he took on a spiritual path and looked inwards to rediscover himself. He chose not to give up and took to cycling.
Initially he rode for a few kilometres and started practising seriously to help physically-challenged people to discover the joy of sports. Since then the para-cyclist has participated in several national and international championship and is on the road most of the time to
raise funds for Aditya Mehta Foundation.
“I am a changed man. Before accident I was 100 per cent into business, cared about money and was a foodie. All that has changed now. I don’t believe in earning money. I have dedicated my life to support people who can’t afford expensive equipments,” Sinha tells Metrolife.
The Hyderabadi was in the capital recently to kick start a 1,450 kms journey on December 14 from Delhi to Mumbai which he aims to complete in six days. This is also the first time he is riding without his prosthetic limb. The live details of his journey are also given by 92.7 BIG FM who have partnered with Sinha.
“I am basically a bania who is selling his body to generate money,” says Sinha with wry humour. “Basically, what I mean by this that I wear logos of all my sponsors on
my jersey. I don’t like to ask for money.”
Despite a hectic schedule, he never misses his training. But he hopes to start his own academy by 2017 so that he could host physically challenged people.
“I want to change the mindset of people. We should never feel that we have any disadvantage. It is an advantage to push your body beyond its limits. I never give up and people too shouldn’t.”
Sinha calls his Manali to Khardung La trip most challenging.
“I almost had tears in my eyes,” he recollects. “Such was the difficult terrain and the worst was the hotel had an Indian style bathroom. This might be a silly thing to mention, but for us, these things pose a bigger challenge. But it is the people around me who motivate me continuously.”
Sinha, under his foundation Aditya Mehta Foundation, aims to raise funds for other para athlete to help them fulfill their dreams. He also wants to help these athletes procure proper equipment so that they are ready to face any competition they want to.