Srinagar, Oct 27 : It took 26 days for two engineering students from Kerala to reach Kashmir experiencing extreme weather vagaries on the way to convey the message of environment and organ donation.
The two mechanical Engineering students 24-year-old Jagadish and 26-Year-old Shrinidi Shetty with a concept to create awareness about the environment and Organ donation—two goals under the banner of “Go Green Before Green Goes” and Life is a Gift Pass it On” started their journey from Karnataka Mangalore and reached Gulmarg in north Kashmir on October 26 after pedaling more than 3500 km.
The two engineers who are working in Asian Paints were sponsored by a Non Governmental Organisation “Centre for Integrated Learning” which is a collaborative organization with other worldwide NGOs bearing the whole trip from Karnataka to Kashmir.
“Since we are from south India so had to pass through very tough weather vagaries during our travel from the Karnataka after going through eight different states”, Jagadish told UNI and added “Initially it was raining all the way when we started our journey on cycles and as we proceeded the weather turned very hot and humid in the midway”.
He said “First time in our lives we experienced such cold weather on reaching Srinagar yesterday and enjoyed snow at Gulmarg for the first time”.
Jagadish said “Kashmir is a beautiful place with greenery engulfing it entirely. It is more beautiful that what we had expected. We found a perfect concept of “Go Green Before Green Goes” in Kashmir”.
“We had been to Gujarat and Rajasthan where there is mere green but reaching Kashmir it is entirely different and perfect and beautiful in greenery,’’ he added.
He said this is our first journey to Kashmir and earlier we had been to Manali, Ladakh and Khardungla pass on cycles last year.
“The message for Kashmir is to keep maintaining the greenery and continue this concept and also adopt the concept of Organ donation as these have been given to us by God. Many people did not know about the Organ donation…we should donate this gift to other people to save their lives is our message to the people,” he said.
“We wholeheartedly thank all the people out there who supported us, our well wishers, parents and all the NGOs who encouraged us for the completion of this ride,” Jagadish said.
“India is a living proof that despite different religions, cultures, and languages people of India live together with love and peace proving “Unity in diversity,” he said.
“How true this is, India is just beautiful, throughout the journey we received both moral and physical support from so many strangers and the best part of this ride was listening to those beautiful stories by the people we meet all through the way,” he added.
Exploring the food and culture of eight different states was just a fantastic experience, he said and added all the way from a very humid place to a freaking cold area our ride from Kudla to Kashmir here ends with a positive note and happiness.
He said the journey will be memorable for us for a lifetime.
