The cyclists taking part in the Tour of Nilgiris (TfN), after a night halt at Kushalnagar yesterday, left for Sultan Bathery today at around 7 am. All the 110 cyclists are Sultan Bathery-bound and will halt there tonight before proceeding to Ooty tomorrow morning.

Olympian Alexi Grewal as mentor: Alexi Grewal, an Indian-American to win an Olympic gold medal in Road Cycling in 1984, having pedaled TfN in 2017, is back again for this edition as a volunteer and mentors young talented riders who are using TfN as a platform to achieve bigger cycling goals.

IT professional cycles for charity

Bengaluru-based IT professional Anand Kapoor, who loves outdoors, is pedalling in the TfN for a cause as part of his commitment in giving back to society.

As a charity rider for Tons Valley Community Health Centre (TVCHC) of Kalap Trust, Uttarakhand, Anand Kapoor plans to raise Rs.8.50 lakh for the Centre.

The funds are being raised to enable the Centre to hire a second doctor (a woman for catering to the needs of women & child health issues) and also procure a dental chair to deal with oral health patients in the Upper Tons Valley.

Commenting on his effort, and speaking to SOM, Anand Kapoor, said, “I am delighted to pedal TfN 2018 as a charity rider. Having pedalled six editions of TfN in a row, I wanted to make every pedal of my seventh edition count. Enthused by the commitment of charity riders I had seen in the previous editions of TfN and also the cause they cycled for, I felt I should give something back to society and thus took the plunge to be a charity rider.”

“My interest to pedal for a cause in Uttarakhand stems from the fact that my wife comes from the mountains. Being married to a pahadi made me realise life for the locals isn’t rosy — a sensitive ecological system, limited resources and opportunities means a lot of hardships. I zeroed in on TVCHC as I realised that healthcare facilities in mountainous region is scarcely available and this facility could be a boon for people in the Jaunsar-Bawar region,” he added.

Kalap Trust is an NGO working for equal access to education, healthcare and livelihood opportunities, and inclusion for disadvantaged communities living in the Upper Tons Valley, Uttarakhand. Its approach includes advocacy and awareness, and professional support through workshops, outreach and training.