Para cyclists set off on long ride

Hyderabad: Having covered more than 2,500 km so far on their bicycles with a mission to raise awareness about para sports, India’s first international medal winning para cyclist Aditya Mehta alongside members of country’s para cycling team and other amateur cyclists began the final leg of Infinity Ride 2020 here on Sunday.

The Infinity Ride, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, a brainchild of Aditya Mehta Foundation, aims to create awareness about para sports and scout talent across the country to nurture them.

The ride is in its sixth year. Infinity Ride is supported and sponsored by Border Security Force (BSF).

Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan flagged off the final leg of the ride to Kanyakumari, totalling 1,279 km. The 36-city 45-day journey, which began on November 19 in Kashmir, will end on December 31.

Telugu film stars like Regina Cassandra, Lakshmi Manchu, Shilpa Reddy and Shobu Yarlagadda — producer of the popular movie Bahubali — also participated. Regina Cassandra also cycled 104 km with the riders, till Mahbubnagar.

“I must appreciate the Aditya Mehta Foundation for their work. This is the first function I’m attending amid this pandemic and I wanted to attend it to support specially-abled people and today I’m here as their strong supporter,” the Governor said.

She praised the arrangements at the Infinity Para Sports Academy and Rehabilitation Centre. “People with super ability only want our support, they are more confident than us,” Dr Soundararajan said.

On Saturday, the riders visited the Academy, the first such facility in Asia. for a quick rehabilitation and prosthetic check. The Academy, spread over 5,000 square yards and developed by AMF, is equipped with modern world class facilities.

“The para sporting talent which we are scouting during the ongoing Infinity Ride will be trained professionally at the Academy,” said AMF founder Aditya Mehta.

Regina Cassandra, who has been associated with the foundation and Infinity Ride since its inception, said: “I am really impressed and motivated with the level of dedication each one of them has shown in these difficult circumstances while riding such distances.”

The AMF have not only been raising awareness but also collected funds though this signature ride.