South Asian Motorcycle Odyssey

December 3, 2006. Borderless Bikers, a team of young enthusiastic motorcycle riders announced their maiden international ride across South Asia. According to the team spokespersons the two member team comprising of Srinidhi Raghavendra, a journalist working with EducationWorld - The Human Development Magazine and Kishore Patwardhan, an self-employed entrepreneur, actively involved in adventure and biking activities, will start off from Bangalore on December 3, 2006 and cover over 25,000 km and ride through eight countries and 62 major cities during the next five months (December 3, 2006- May 1, 2007). The team will start off on December 3, 2006 at 10.30 am from Vidhana Soudha main entrance. Borderless bikers are perhaps the first bikers team to attempt such a mega adventure from India.

Speaking on the occasion Srinidhi Raghavendra explained the importance of quality education for all children in the context of the South Asian region. “Millions of Indians eke out a living doing odd jobs and as labourers. This is because of lack of education and poverty. Providing these masses Quality Education right from the beginning is the only way to bring them out for vicious poverty-illiteracy-poverty cycle. According to United Nations studies the South Asian region is the world’s most densely populated (305 per sq km, seven times the world average), impoverished (US$ 350 per capita income, over 25.5 percent people live below poverty line) and illiterate (53.3 percent literacy). In effect South Asia hosts the largest illiterate population in the world. (850 million). With such a large chunk of population illiterate the only hope for this region is Quality Education for its children and continuous adult literacy programmes for adult illiterates. Our main aim of this tour is to spread this message among the common people, specially in small town India, where awareness of these grim reality is very less,” says Raghavendra

“We are riding motorcycles because bikes give a great sense of adventure and freedom and most importantly helps break barriers between people and induce friendship. Moreover it is also the cheapest means of transport and offers the facility to stop anywhere, travel over rough terrains and be part of the landscape. Though India has vast tracts of lush green forests, long beaches, snow capped mountains, rivers, yoga, spirituality etc, we attract only 2-3 million international tourists annually. While a small country like France attracts over 30 million, Britain attracts over 25 million and US over 40 million. This difference is due to two reasons, one is inadequate tourism promotion and lack of infrastructure. During this tour we plan to do the former,” says Kishore Patwardhan.

The team has entered into a support agreement with Rotary International and few motorcycle clubs countrywide and will interact with dignitaries, members of leading social service organisations including Lions and Rotary Clubs along the way in a bid to explore and find ways and means to upgrade the education system within the existing frameworks. In an endeavour to spread this awareness among the masses the team will also participate in meetings and interact with common folk in as many places as possible.

The total projected budget of the expedition is about Rupees Eleven Lakhs and the team is being partly sponsored/ supported by an array corporates, NGOs, motorcycle clubs and individuals. “We have received support in terms of products, services and logistics. TVS is supporting us with bikes and maintenance, Cramster is providing us panniers and specially designed motorcycle luggage, Rotary International is making hosting arrangements in various locations on our route, EducationWorld is partly taking care of our fuel expenses. All said and done we will incur an expense of Rs.1.5 lakh each for fuel, administration and communication expenses by the time we complete the tour,” says Srinidhi.

Among the leading names associated with Borderless Bikers are Chennai-based TVS Motor Company, which has sponsored two brand new TVS Apache motorcycles for the tour; EducationWorld; Intel is giving their state-of-the-art Ultra Mobile PC, Cramster is outfitting the bikes with luggage panniers and tank bags, Rotary International is arranging for hosting and accommodation enroute etc.

“We chose to sponsor this event because it is a highly adventurous ride, the team has charted quite a tough route which will test the endurance of both the rider as well the machine. Moreover TVS is a sports-oriented company and would like to be identified as a youthful, outgoing and enthusiastic company,” says a TVS spokesperson.

The team is scheduled to depart from Bangalore on December 3, 2006, from Vidhana Soudha at 10.00 am. To wish them luck and/ support them visit their website http://www.borderlessbikers.com.

For more information visit http://www.borderlessbikers.com or
call:
Srinidhi Raghavendra: 98455 27011
Kishore Patwardhan: 99459 76789