Every morning, while most commuters in Delhi prepare themselves for another battle with traffic, fuel costs and pollution, there is one commuter who chooses a different route—one powered not by petrol or diesel, but by his own legs.
For him, cycling to work is not merely a means of commuting. It is a way of life, a commitment to health and an expression of concern for the environment.
The journey began in December 2012, when he decided to cycle from Millennium Apartment, Sector-9, Dwarka, to his workplace at Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi. The daily round trip was more than 35 kilometres. What began as an experiment for better health gradually became a passion, and eventually a personal mission to encourage others to embrace cycling.
“I started cycling to improve my health,” he recalls. “After a few days of riding on the busy roads of Delhi, I started enjoying it. The rides became joy rides.”
From necessity to passion
Cycling was not entirely new to him. His first association with the bicycle goes back to his student days in Allahabad, when he rode nearly 40 kilometres a day to attend college and tuition classes before returning home. A second phase followed in Dehradun, where cycling became a convenient way of travelling to different places while giving tuition.
But the third and most enduring phase began when he was posted to the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation’s Head Office at Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi.
After years of service, he found himself becoming less active and gaining weight. It was his batchmate and Regional Commissioner in EPFO, Shri Subhash Sharma, who suggested cycling as a way to improve his health.
That suggestion changed his routine—and eventually much more.
The 35-kilometre daily commute soon became a regular part of life. On one occasion, he even rode nearly 50 kilometres at a stretch, taking only a brief ten-minute break.
What began as a personal health initiative gradually acquired a larger purpose: Health and Environment.
A bicycle can say much about a society
For him, cycling is also a measure of how a society thinks about quality of life.
He believes that a society that encourages cycling is investing simultaneously in health, environmental sustainability, productivity and happiness. A healthy citizen, he argues, is more productive and less vulnerable to lifestyle-related illnesses. Every bicycle replacing a motorised vehicle also means less fuel consumption and less pollution.
He points to countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark, where cycling has become an integral part of everyday life. In Utrecht, for example, cycling infrastructure has been developed on a scale that makes the bicycle a practical mode of daily transportation.
The lesson, he believes, is relevant to India as well.
“Cycling is not simply about exercise,” is the underlying message of his campaign. “It is about creating healthier people and healthier surroundings.”
Taking the message beyond the bicycle
His journey did not stop with his own daily rides.
During his posting in Madhya Pradesh, he began involving government officials, educational institutions, social organisations and citizens in cycling initiatives. Collectors, Superintendents of Police, Commissioners, students and members of various organisations participated in cycle rallies.
The first major cycle rally in Gwalior, organised in November 2015, brought together more than 600 cyclists. Several organisations participated, including the BSF, Air Force, educational institutions, universities, professional organisations and the EPFO.
Over time, cycling events were organised in several places, including Gwalior, Morena, Shivpuri, Bhind, Datia, Dabra, Sagar, Rajgarh, Narwar and Jaura.
In all, 16 cycle rallies were organised in different parts of Madhya Pradesh.
The purpose was never simply to organise an event. The larger objective was to make cycling visible and socially acceptable—to demonstrate that a bicycle can be a serious mode of transport for students, professionals, government officers and ordinary citizens alike.
From 35 kilometres to 600 kilometres
The passion also took him into the world of endurance cycling.
Under Audax India events, cyclists attempt long-distance rides of 200, 300, 400 and 600 kilometres within prescribed time limits. Those who successfully complete the required series are recognised as Super Randonneurs.
He successfully completed the 200 km, 300 km, 400 km and 600 km events in 2016.
What makes the achievement particularly interesting is that he undertook these challenging rides on relatively inexpensive hybrid bicycles, whereas road bicycles are more commonly associated with such endurance events.
His experience demonstrates that cycling need not always be an expensive pursuit. Determination, consistency and willingness to ride can matter as much as sophisticated equipment.
Can Delhi become more cycle-friendly?
Delhi has wide roads and, in his view, has the potential to become a much more cycle-friendly city. The bigger challenge is the increasing pressure from motorised vehicles and the limited availability of dedicated cycling infrastructure.
While commuting from Dwarka towards Bhikaji Cama Place, he often used bylanes and could cover approximately 22.5 kilometres in about an hour.
His suggestion is straightforward: create dedicated cycling lanes wherever possible, provide secure bicycle parking and make cycling a practical choice rather than merely a recreational activity.
He also believes that workplaces can contribute by providing facilities such as secure bicycle parking and bathing or changing facilities for employees who cycle to work.
Making cycling a national movement
His vision extends beyond individual cyclists.
He believes that the government can encourage cycling through public recognition, cycling events, incentives for employees who cycle to work, bicycle subsidies, dedicated tracks and better parking facilities.
Cycling, in his view, should become part of a broader national programme involving health, environment, sports, education, tourism and urban planning.
He proposes publicly recognising people who cycle extraordinary distances to work, organising cyclathons, promoting cycling alongside other health initiatives and encouraging Indian manufacturers to produce world-class bicycles.
Most importantly, he believes that cycling should be made attractive to young people.
Rather than beginning with extremely demanding endurance events, he suggests that organised 50-kilometre and 100-kilometre events could bring more newcomers into the cycling movement.
Leading by example
Cycling to work as a senior government officer has occasionally attracted different opinions from friends and colleagues. But he says that he has never regarded this as a serious obstacle.
For him, the choice is personal—and purposeful.
At a time when traffic congestion, pollution, stress and lifestyle-related illnesses are increasing, he believes that public servants and other professionals can play an important role by leading through personal example.
The bicycle, in his philosophy, is therefore more than a vehicle. It represents discipline, simplicity, health, sustainability and personal responsibility.
A simple message
After years of cycling, organising rallies and participating in long-distance events, his message remains remarkably simple:
Life is beautiful; make it more beautiful through consistent effort.
He believes that people should strive for happiness, health and self-development rather than constantly pursuing material wealth.
His daily ride to work is perhaps the most visible expression of that philosophy.
For more than a decade, the bicycle has taken him through Delhi’s roads, the towns of Madhya Pradesh and hundreds of kilometres of endurance rides. But the destination has never been only a workplace or a finishing line.
The destination is a healthier individual, a cleaner environment and, ultimately, a happier society.
And tomorrow morning, as Delhi’s traffic begins another crowded day, the wheels will turn again.
