Para Aditya Cyclist Mehta to embark on a new journey

PRESS RELEASE:

Para Aditya Cyclist Mehta to embark on a new journey to spread awareness

Curtain raiser ride flags off from Jaipur for the Infinity Ride 2016

Jaipur, Dec 15: After successfully completing the journey from Manali to Khardunga La in 2014, Hyderabad-based para-cyclist, Aditya Mehta, who runs ‘Aditya Mehta Foundation’ is all set to cover another sojourn on his cycle starting from Delhi on December 14 and end in Mumbai on December 20. Aditya, who has reached Jaipur in 15 hours covering 240 Kms on the first day of his ride and flagged off from Ashok Nagar Police Guest House at 9:00 am this morning.

The endurance ride intends to raise funds for the ‘Aditya Mehta Foundation’ to provide amputees with artificial limbs, fund their education and provide sports equipment specially designed for the physically challenged. In addition to it, it aims to raise awareness about sports for the athletes with disabilities and also help the personnel from Police and Paramilitary forces, who lost their limbs when on duty.

It may be recalled that Aditya, double silver medallist at the Asian Para-Cycling Championships held in 2013, lost a leg in an accident few years back. The fact that Aditya’s right leg had to be amputated above the knee did not deter his determination to indulge in sports and he got addicted to cycling. Thereafter, he started to organise such rides to spread awareness and raise funds for the needy.

In view of supporting and encouraging 33-year-old Aditya’s endeavour, Honourable Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Sri Krishan Pal Gurjar, flagged off the ride in Delhi. Sharing his thoughts on Aditya’s initiative, Sri Krishan Pal Gurjar said, “It is a great initiative undertaken by Aditya, even most able bodied athletes cannot take up this challenging ride, but Aditya's motivation comes from the cause. I wish him all the best and offer all my support for the cause.”

Commenting upon his initiative, Aditya Mehta said, “This Infinity ride is my dedication to Para Military Personnel whon has lost their limbs during wars. Through this ride my aim is also to motivate more and more people to take up cycling. If I can ride 1450 Kms on one leg, why can’t people use cycle for commute? ”

Aditya accomplished his ride from Manali to Khardunga La in August 2014, with hoisting of Indian national flag at Khardunga La on August 15, 2014. Aditya may be the first in his category (amputated above knee cyclist) to have completed this ride. Moreover, Manali to Khardunga La is the world's highest motorable road, 18380 feet with the toughest conditions to fight against, but Aditya completed it with flying colours and entered the Limca Book of Records.

Also, ‘Aditya Mehta Foundation’ prepares itself for Infinity Ride 2016 for which this curtain raiser ride kicked off from Delhi on August 14, 2015. The ride will be a 1450 kms journey from Delhi to Mumbai that Aditya plans to accomplish in six days. What will separate this challenge from previous ones would be the fact that Aditya will be riding this time without his prosthetic limb. This ride will cover Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. While passing through these states, the dignitaries of the respective states will receive/flag-off from their states.

This ride will also see Mr. Akun Sabharwal, IPS officer, riding all the way with him from Delhi to Mumbai and few Bollywood celebrities are expected to join them through the course at various destinations.

Through several organized rides in previous years covering different routes and destinations, Aditya Mehta Foundation could reach around 21 Para-Athletes and helped them with 24 items including equipment, sponsorship, travel expenses, prosthetic limbs etc, within a span of two years.

 

(Details regarding donations for the ‘Aditya Mehta Foundation’ can be found on Aditya Mehta’s official website: www.adityamehta.in)

Sri Krishan Pal Gurjar is from Faridabad, Haryana and he graduated from Jawaharlal Nehru University in 1978 and got his Degree of Law from Meerut University. He entered electoral politics in 1994 by winning the election of Corporation Councillor under the banner of Bhartiya Janta Party and became the party's State Minister. He was elected as Member of Legislative Assembly of Haryana for Mewla Maharajpur Constituency in 1996.