ASIA’s longest community cycling campaign to kick start from Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Fourth edition of TOUR-DE-KALINGA’, Asia’s longest community pedalling campaign will begin from the State Capital of Bhubaneswar on 11th December 2022.

With an aim to connect to all its roots and create a pillar force for the cause and concerns of Odisha and provide solutions for bringing rapid development, Roots of Odisha Foundation (ROOF) has been organising this community cycling campaign since 2015.

During the campaign the team will have community engagement programme at schools, colleges, universities, and villages to sensitise on the larger issues of pollution, global warming and drug abuses.

The Tour-de-Kalinga aims to create a Pedalling corridor in Odisha landscape that will ultimately boost the ecotourism, local employment and economic uplift meant of Odisha.

This year the Tour-de-Kalinga brigade will start their pedalling voyage to Koraput from Bhubaneswar on 11th December 2022 and again return to Bhubaneswar which has a distance of 1300 KM which includes 10 districts. The entire campaign will be covered in 13 days.

The team on the first day will visit Puri via Konark enroute Pipili and Raghurajpur. Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs STushar Kanti Behera is slated to flag off the campaign from Kalinga Stadium.

Ever Since 2015, the Tour-De-Kalinga has emerged as the longest community cycling campaign on Social Development issues with pan India participation from all states.

Recently, the Booklet of Tour-De-Kalinga was inaugurated by Tushar Kanti Behera, Minister of Sports, Youth affairs in the presence of Chairman of Roots of Odisha Foundation Sudhir Dash.  

Narrating the significance of this Tour, Sudhir Dash highlighted the ride in Odisha, state known for its pristine golden beaches, world famous heritage sites of Konark Sun Temple, Lord Jagannath Puri Temple, city of Temples, Bhubaneswar, Asia’s biggest brackish water lake Chilka  & lagoons, dense forests, Elephant reserve, tiger reserve, mesmerizing eastern Ghats, Ragi & Alsi cultivation, dance, art, a mix of North & South Indian cuisine, peaceful & hospitable people the land of Great Emperor Ashoka who embraced Buddhism &  Rath Yatra juggernaut.

The day one of the campaign will be held on Dec 11 from Bhubaneswar via Konark to Puri which has distance of 103 KM, the second day of the tour will be held  Puri – Satpada – Chhatrapur  which has a distance of 131 KM, the third day of the tour will be started from Chhatrapur – Berhampur – Chandragiri which has a distance of 103 KM, the fourth day will be started from Chandragiri–Padampur–Parlakhemundi which has a distance of 100 KM, the fifth day will be started from Paralakhemundi – Gunpur – Rayagada which has a distance of 137 KM, the sixth day will be started from Rayagada – Lakshmipur – Koraput which has a distance of 112 KM, the seventh day will be rest day with visit to tribal villages, Deomali Hills, Village Haats, Ragi cultivation area, traditional agricultural practices.

The eighth day will be started from Koraput – Bisham Cuttack – Muniguda which has a distance of 171 KM, the ninth day will be started Muniguda – Kotagarh – Belgarh which has a distance of 82 KM, the day 10^th is  Rest day at Belgarh Nature Camp, an old structure of Birtish Era now under the possession of forest Department.

Visit to forest, school managed by forest department, a cultural evening in Tribal village & bonfire at Nature camp are the activities the riders will be engaged during the stay.

The 11^th Day will be started from Belgarh – Baliguda – Phulbani which has a distance of 141 KM, the 12^th day will be started from Phulbani – Dashpala – Nayagarh which has a distance of 124 KM, and the 13^th day will be started from Nayagarh – Khordha – Bhubaneswar which has distance of 82 KM. The tour closing ceremony will be held at Bhubaneswar with medal and certificate distribution in the evening with filled fun frolic.

In the previous edition many celebrities and dignitaries of Odisha living worldwide have participated such Cine star Siddhant Mohapatra , Anu Choudhury, Akash Dasnayak , Arjuna Awardee Minati Mohapatra ,  sensational of 1977 for his pedalling adventure from Orissa to Sweden Dr P K Mahanandia, Dhirendra kar , town planner Dr Piyush Tanjan Rout , Air India Vigilance Office Sh. Yogendra Singh , Professor Dr Sadanand Sahoo of IGNOU, Air force wing Commandeer Amit Goel, GM LIC of India Prachee Shintere , Lt Col Dr Parminder Kaur , Olympian Dutee Chand , para champion Jagwinder Singh , Supremely Court lawyer Srinivas Kotni has participated in the campaign with lots of appreciation for the landscape, art, culture, tradition of Odisha .

Going further, Yogendra singh, the convenor of Tour-de-Kalinga echoed that this Campaign has the fullest of potential to emerge as a world class destination for eco and adventure tourist beating tour-de-France.