TIRUPATI: Meet M Karuppiah, a Gandhian who has been pedalling the length and breadth of the country to propagate non-violence, truth and other ideas of the Father of the Nation. Karuppiah from Madurai (Tamil Nadu), who works as a National Coordinator Secretary of All-India Gandhian Movement Organisation, embarked on the cycling expedition in 1992 and covered 97,000 km so far.
In 2000, Karuppiah’s eight-year cycling expedition got a companion, his wife Chitra, whom he met on a matrimonial site and got married the same year. Since then, Chitra has become an integral part of her husband’s dream to complete one lakh km cycling and publish a book named ‘Madurai Couple’s Life History’ which would narrate their experiences during their cycling expedition. Karuppiah and Chitra, born in 1961 and 1958, respectively, undertook cycling expeditions for various causes. They started their recent journey from Trichy on June 28 as part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, celebrating 75 years of India’s Independence. Tragedy struck the couple during their current cycling journey as Karuppiah lost his wife Chitra on the way.
“Chitra, who pursued my dream as hers and supported me throughout my journey, died near Sullurpeta in Tirupati on August 8 due to illness. I completed the last rites of Chitra near the Krishna river with the help of locals and continued my journey, which is scheduled to culminate in Bengaluru on September 5,” Karuppiah says.
In 2010, when Karuppiah and Chitra went to Wagah (India-Pakistan border) as part of their cycling journey, Chitra was hit by an over-speeding car, badly injuring her. After multiple surgeries, Chitra joined Karuppiah’s cycling journey once again. However, Chitra suffered a stroke during their cycling journey from Coimbatore to Pondicherry for world peace under the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Asked why he had to complete his wife’s last rites in Andhra Pradesh instead of their native place, he replied: “It was my wife’s wish to continue the journey and not to stop it midway no matter what comes. So, I’ll complete the 1 lakh km journey and dedicate it to my wife.”