Holidaying in hills and spreading social message

NEW DELHI - How about an adventurous holiday where you ride a bike down the mountainous roads and also spread a social message? A group of youngsters from various universities in Britain did just that.

A team of 13 boys and girls took part in a 14-day expedition called “Cycle India”, pedalling down from Manali to Shimla in Himachal Pradesh between Aug 22 and Sep 4. It was done to promote the Right to Education (RTE) Act, introduced in the country after 60 years of independence.

“It was definitely a challenging task to cycle on the mountain roads. The rains further hindered our efforts. But the stunning vistas and the feeling that you are doing all that for a good cause drives and encourages you,” said Paul Doubleday, group leader from Birmingham.

The expedition was organised by NGO Childreach International, which arranges similar adventure events for corporates and students in order to ’sensitise’ them towards a social issue.

“These events are focused at the privileged section of the society. We organise such unique expeditions and charge a fee from them, a part of which goes in the logistics and the rest in charity,” said Naresh Chaudhary, country director of Childreach International.

“The students painted portraits and danced and interacted with the locals. They learnt a lot about their culture and also relished local delicacies,” said Chaudhary.

The group was floored by the warmth the locals had to offer. On top of that the food, which was spicy yet delicious, was a treat for their tastebuds. “The desserts especially were delicious,” said Paul Doubleday.

Britain based Childreach International had put up advertisements on its website inviting anyone interested in the excursion to India. Out of around 60 applicants, the 13 were selected on a first come first serve basis, Chaudhary said.

The students paid 2,200 pounds each for the trip, which included everything from their air ticket to insurance.

“Right to Education is just wonderful. Free education for underprivileged kids is a noble thing to do and must be supported. That’s why we just had to be a part of this and spread this message of education,” said Paul.

“All of us understand the importance of such an act in a country like India where literacy rates are not that high. We all were self-motivated and signed up our own,” he added.

Although, Paul has been to India on an earlier occasion, this time around it was different as he promoted a social cause while having some fun in the hills. “It was a win-win situation for everybody,” Paul said.

The students - who have now gone back home - fell in love with the country and termed it “one of the best experiences of our lives”.

“Though things are extremely opposite here as compared to back home, we all just loved our stay in India and would definitely want to return soon,” Paul said.

The expedition culminated with the group meeting Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal at his office Sep 7.

To promote the RTE Act further, another excursion to Mt. Everest is being planned for Indian students. It will probably take place in the first week of October if the weather conditions are ideal, said Chaudhary.

“Students from various universities around the country can take part in it. We are already in talks with many colleges of Delhi University,” Chaudhary added.