Bhubaneswar: Roots Of Odisha Foundation (ROOF) and supported by High Five Social innovation and Mission Odisha organized Tour De Kalinga’s fourth Edition.
And the 4th edition of Tour De Kalinga ended on a grand note at Centre for Youth and Social Development (”CYSD”).
This expedition is categorized to be the longest community pedaling expedition 1300 km in 13 days was ended in Bhubaneswar on 23 December 2022.
Tushar Kanti Behera, Minister of Sports, Youth Services flagged off the program on 11 December in front of Kalinga Stadium Bhubaneswar.
Starting from Bhubaneswar, Konark, Puri, the 20 member team visited the western part of Odisha viz, Satapada, Chillika Lagoons, Berhampur, Taptapani, Chandragiri, Gerang, Parelakhemundi, Rayagada, Koraput, Bisham Cuttack, Kotagada, DaringiBadi, Phullbani, Nayagarh, Khurdha was covered.
The team with their aim to sensitize public on the need of pedaling to work as action against increased global warming has visited schools, colleges, universities such as Khemundi College, Centurion University, GIET, Phulbani Autonomous College, Nayagarh Autonomous College, Ranpur College etc to interact with students, the next gen citizen.
The team comprising of 69 year old retired professor of Delhi University Dr. Sunil Kumar from Nainital, Uttarakhand, Shri Bharat Chand retired Principal and father of former Indian Cricket World Cup Winner (under 19) Unmukt Chand fascinated the public with their sheer determination to inspire and make change the mindset of public towards cycling.
Chairman of ROOF and the Chief Organizer of Tour De Kalinga CA. Sudhir Kumar Dash while addressing the gathering expressed hope about Odisha, which has tremendous potential for Eco and Adventure Tourism that can create crores of employment for the people of Odisha.
While praising the Chief Minister and the State Administration for their focused approach in creating sports culture in the state, he said the state has emerged as the Sports Capital in the country.
Ex MLA, Dileep Srichandan said that Odisha has a good forest coverage that requires strong protection but in the recent past its share of the forest region is rapidly losing grounds due to deforestation. The people should plant a tree and protect it in every birthday of theirs.
Social Reformer in Badri Narayan Mishra while praising the efforts of ROOF said various civil society members should join hands with ROOF to make Tour De Kalinga even bigger, world class and a mass scale civilian movement.
The Tour Director Yogendra Singh recalling his cycling tour in London Edenborough London(LEL) and Paris Brest Paris (PBP) days said that the terrain of Tour-De-Kalinga is million times better than LEl and PBP for that matter. The Government of Odisha should not neglect the tourism potential of the state further.
Ollywood Singer Rama Krishna, Social Activist Bipin Mohanty, Senior Journalist Madhusudan Mishra were present.
