24-year-old Philem Rohan Singh, student from Manipur to pedal from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to highlight India’s water scarcity.
As part of his campaign, ‘Water For Life’, he will cross 12 cities within 12 weeks. Rohan began his journey on June 15 from Srinagar. He will pass through Amritsar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Karnool and Bengaluru before finally reaching Kanyakumari.
Referring to the severe water crisis in various parts of the country, like Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Marathwada regions in Maharashtra and Chennai in Tamil Nadu, he said the situation needs to be improved for the sake of people.
Rohan’s campaign is being supported by Greater Noida-based Sharda University, where he is pursuing a masters degree in English and the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, M Haseeb Mughal, said, “The motive of the event is to spread the message of saving nature and national integration.”
Past cycling journeys taken up by Singh to raise awareness on various issues.
Singh has peddled over 10,000 kilometers across the country. As part of similar journeys to raise funds for the defence forces and to generate awareness about animals rights and pollution.
In January 2018, he had cycled 2,800 km from Delhi to Imphal and 1,700 km from Imphal to Kolkata. In October last year, he had cycled from Greater Noida to Imphal, covering a distance of 3,500 km.
“I have decided to do this not to raise money or for fame, but to act for humanity. The motive of the campaign is to draw the government’s attention towards the current scenario of water scarcity in the country and towards the overall water-related problems” Rohan said.
Rohan has now set his eyes on cycling to Tokyo in 2020 for the Olympics. “My main purpose is to cheer for India, peace and humanity”, he added.
