JAYANT Mendhi, a 65-year-old retired SBI employee of Nagpur, will be one of the other 14 cyclists who would be participating in the Race Across India (RAI) which will be flagged-off from Srinagar on October 10. This will be the second edition of the Indian Oil Race Across India and there is a gradual increase in the number of participants from the Orange City. Addressing a press conference, Dr Amit Samarth, ultra cyclists and Bicycle Mayor of Nagpur informed that 14 participants from Nagpur would be leaving for Srinagar in a couple of days for the race. “Mendhi is one of the oldest participants along with Dilip Warkhad, who is 61 years old.

 

This year three teams from Nagpur will be taking part in the competition,” said Samarth. Dr Samarth and Warkhad will be taking part in doing solo event. Team Ank Seals will be taking part in ‘Team of 4’ event and will be represented by Mendhi, Rupesh Meshram, Mukund Kamath and Sweety Malik (Rohtak). Team HCL will be represented by Viswas Chati, Dr Praful Wankhede, Dr Anagha Chopde and Prashant Deshkar while JNRDDC will be represented by Dr Anupam Agnihotri, Vipin Naik, Nitin Waradpande and Govinda Bhaskar. “The race will start from Jammu and move through Ludhiana, Delhi, Gwalior, Sagar, Nagpur, Nirmal, Hyderabad, Ananthpur, Hossur, Madurai and will culminate at Kanyakumari covering a distance of 3758 kms,” added Samarth. The race is recognised by World Ultracycling Association and serves as a Race Across America (RAAM) Qualifier Event.