Hyderabad, July 11: After suffering from a horrific accident and having his limb taken away in the line of duty, Harinder Singh’s world changed with the Aditya Mehta Foundation and the Infinity Ride 2016 coming to his aid. He is not only an acclaimed Para-cyclist representing India but also a bronze medalist at the 6th Asian Para-cycling Championship in Bahrain.
At a glittering ceremony today, he took to the stage to appreciate Aditya Mehta Foundation (AMF) which announced the launch of its signature event, the Infinity Ride and its plans to support and nurture the country’s best para athletes.
“I considered myself a burden to society before attending a counselling session the Aditya Mehta Foundation had organised, but that single session completely changed my outlook towards life and gave me confidence to start cycling when I had trouble walking too,” Harinder expressed his gratitude towards the foundation which has produced so many success stories so far.
The foundation is spearheaded by India’s champion para-cyclist Aditya Mehta. This year's Infinity ride will see hundreds of cyclists ride from Hyderabad to Tirupati via Amravathi, a route which is close to about 722 kilometres, from August 9th to 15th to raise funds. The ride aims to not only support with top class equipment for para-athletes but also to provide the healthcare and coaching facilities in their quest to become international champions.
“It is a matter of great joy for me that we are back with the Infinity Ride,” Aditya Mehta said at the press conference subsequently. “The ride had started off as a dream; something that I thought could ever turn into reality. But now, standing here in its third edition, it not only gives me pleasure but also fills me up with confidence to drive the initiative forward for helping my fellow para athletes,” he added.
The third edition of the Infinity Ride promises to be a much bigger and celebrated affair, with innumerable cyclists from different parts of the country as well as from abroad set to take part in it. Aditya Mehta himself will also be cycling and will be championing the Cause and will accompany the riders all through the journey.
“It has indeed been a difficult journey and this has been possible only because of the support system I have. I would really like to thank the trustees of the foundation, and all the athletes and other stakeholders who have put their faith in me and believe that we can help them achieve their dreams,” Aditya Mehta said.
He pointed out that the additional aim is to raise awareness about sports among not only the specially abled athletes but also people in general. Not too surprisingly, the foundation has received a lot of support from the defence forces who sacrifice their life and limb in the service of the country and the fellow soldiers who lose motivation to live their life.
AMF has been working very closely with the various wings of the armed forces to counsel, find, nurture and support the talents and transform them into para-athletes. The funds that will be generated through the fund-raiser will be used to ensure the well-being and training purposes to be able to compete at the global level.
Over the last two such rides, the Foundation has raised significant amounts through donations to help the para-athletes. It has also managed to scout for new talent and actively supported them to attain international standards.
The first year saw the athletes ride from Bangalore to Hyderabad and in second year saw them on undertake a journey from Manali to Khardungla. This year’s ride has been classified into eight stages; the riders will be flagged off from the City of Pearls and will be will be flagged in at the Spiritual Capital of India followed by hoisting of the national flag to celebrate the Independence Day.
A number of Tollywood celebrities, including Regina Cassandra and Shilpa Reddy, and Trustees of the Foundation, along with Sai Dharam Tej and Anisha Ambrose and Vice-Chairman and MD of Sports Authority of Telangana State Dinakar Babu (IAS) attended the function, where this year’s Infinity Ride Poster was unveiled.
Speaking at the event, Regina Cassandra, Trustee AMF said, “We are proud to have been able to make the Infinity Ride a reality for the third straight year. It is our Foundation’s vision to make India a superpower in the world of Para Sports and these funds are a huge step in that direction.”
