BENGALURU: Regular meetings with engineers and stakeholders as well as site visits don’t make Srinivasan Gopalan tired. The 47-year-old CEO of Ozone Group gives credit to his hobby for keeping him fit and healthy.
“I cycle every day in early in the morning. I’m a person who follows the rule of early to bed and early to rise. Cycling is a necessary activity in life, just like how you brush your teeth every day. Cycling helps a person keep a healthy mental and physical presence. But for me, cycling is not just an exercise, I also explore different places and enjoy my me-time,” says Gopalan.
He spends two hours daily for cycling and squash, while every Sunday, he converts this hobby to explore the lesser-travelled trails in North Bengaluru and around Nandi hills. “I keep my bicycle in Devanahalli, at our company site near the airport. From there, I cycle around. There is no specific plan to visit a particular place. If it is raining, I pedal and visit the villages nearby,” says Gopalan, a resident of Hebbal.
During his trails, Gopalan prefers to travel in small groups. “I always go with one companion. If there is an accident, we can be there for each other. Otherwise, it’s all about having a personal experience. While pedalling, we prefer to listen to nature’s music,” he says, who also mentions that he cycles during trips around the world.
From the last four years, Gopalan participates in different cyclothons in the city. “Participating in a cyclothon helps me to be competitive at office and work. The trails of these cyclothons are very beautiful and gives me a good experience. I don’t want to come first. I don’t have the fear of coming last or missing the first place. This is something where I unwind myself and enjoy,” he adds. Recently, he participated in a 40km Pedal for Planet cyclothon and says that whenever there is a cyclothon in Bengaluru, he tries not to miss it out.
Gopalan’s best companion in cycling and squash is his 12-year-old daughter. “My daughter joins me in cycling very often. Apart from that, I introduced her to squash. Now, she’s taken the sport seriously. Her first aim is to beat me in squash. To a small extent, I’m an inspiration to her, which I feel very proud about,” he says.