TIRUPATI: T Pavan Sai, a resident of Peruru on the outskirts of Tirupati, has completed a journey of 3,523 km--from Kanyakumari to Kashmir--on a bicycle and dedicated it to the relentless services of doctors and health workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 21-year-old, a second-year MBBS student at Kurnool Medical College, started his ride on October 4 from Kanyakumari, and covered Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh before reaching Kashmir on November 6.
On what inspired him to embark on the long and tiresome trip, Pavan Sai told TNIE: “I always wanted to do something that would make me standout. After a lot of thought when the pandemic was at its peak, I decided to go on a trip on my bike, but figured it should be for a social cause. There was nothing better than dedicating it to doctors, who irrespective of what the situation is, look after their patients 24×7.”
Fondly called as ‘Cycle Sai’ by his relatives and peers, Pavan used to cycle 100 km every weekend. “I started cycling as a physical activity and now it has become a part of my daily routine.” In his month-long cycle tour, Pavan ate his lunch at roadside dhabas, and prepared breakfast and dinner with a small stove and a gas cylinder that he carried along with him. “Noodles were my go to food for breakfast and dinner both.” The journey introduced him to a variety of cultures across states besides giving him an all-new outlook on life. ‘Cycle Sai’ said he ended up spending Rs 30,000 on the trip.