Ex-army official takes up cause of the girl child

ALLAHABAD: Out to drive home the message to save girl child, a retired army officer had decided to create awareness among the masses through adventure expedition of solo motorbike ride from Allahabad to Pune. The 64 years old officer has recently returned from the annual 5th Poker Run competition at Kathmandu, where he went on his motorcycle from Allahabad on April 7 this year.
Lt Col Sohan Roy, who had left Kathmandu on his 500 cc Royal Enfield from Allahabad via Pratapgarh, Sultanpur, Faizabad, Gorakhpur and Sonauli, expressed dismay on the recent rape of a 5 years old child in Delhi.
When asked about his reaction to the recent incidents of crime against the girl child, he said that such crimes have prompted him to campaign for 'save the girl child' and emphasised that it is time for the government to come out with stringent laws and speedy time-bound implementation.
He had carried this message as a special invitee to Poker Run, organised between April 13 and 15. His wife Lt Col Poonam Roy, a serving officer, also joined him in the campaign ride at Kathmandu. Talking about Poker Run, he said that it started in 2007 when a fellow Enfield rider Binod Chhetri Acharya went to visit Australia, where there was an annual Poker Run for 100 Harley Riders. They decided that such run can be held in Nepal, involving Royal Enfield riders.
Binod's death in October 2008, due to a heart attack was a sad phase in the lives of fellow riders in Kathmandu. Stewie Mclean, an avid Harley rider and promoter of motorcycle adventures in the Himalayas and Rabi Thapa of Sacred Summits Ltd, who has been the forerunner in organizing and promoting motorcycle tours in Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and India (Sikkim & Darjeeling) decided to honor Binod by organizing the first Poker Run in 2007 BS in Nepal on Royal Enfield & Classic motorcycle as part of Nepali New Year.
Roy said that while going to Kathmandu, wherever he stopped for refilling petrol or tea at dhabbas he interacted with locals and tried to emphasize on the importance of girl child in a family. People gave him a patient hearing. The friendly attitude of strangers prompted him to carry on the mission on his way to Pune.