Age 70, excuses 0: PM Narendra Modi showers praise as Karnataka MLA Suresh Kumar completes epic 700-km Bengaluru–Kanyakumari bicycle ride

BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Rajajinagar MLA Suresh Kumar on his remarkable cycling journey from Bengaluru to Kanyakumari, covering 702 km in five days. The PM’s message, shared on his X account, lauded Kumar’s resilience and fitness, highlighting the inspiring nature of his achievement.

“Shri S. Suresh Kumar Ji’s feat of cycling from Bengaluru to Kanniyakumari is commendable and inspiring. The fact that it was done after he overcame health setbacks highlights his grit and unyielding spirit. It also gives an important message of fitness. Spoke to him and congratulated him for the effort,” Modi posted on X, linking a Times of India story on the journey.




Speaking about the PM’s call, Kumar said, “I was really thrilled to receive a call from none other than Hon’ble PM of Bharat congratulating me for my 702 kms cycling to Kanyakumari. He was happy to know that after 51 years this was my 2nd cycling to Kanyakumari, that too after suffering a serious ailment.”

The 70-year-old MLA undertook the challenge months after recovering from chikungunya encephalopathy (CE), a rare neurological complication that had left him bedridden. Kumar described the ride not only as a personal milestone but also as a message promoting fitness and healthy living.

Motivated by PM Modi’s earlier call to encourage cycling in every constituency, Kumar has been actively promoting cycling at the local level, often riding with residents to foster community participation. “My neurologists are extremely happy that I took up cycling again. It has helped me recover physically and regain confidence,” he said.

Kumar began the journey on December 23, departing Bengaluru at 4 am. Over five days, he and a group of 12 cyclists under the banner ‘Rajajinagar Pedal Power’ covered the following distances: 157 km on day one, 159 km on day two, 155 km on day three, 156 km on day four, and 73 km on the final day — totaling 702 km in almost 37 cycling hours.

Reflecting on his lifelong association with cycling, Kumar said he grew up riding extensively and continued the habit even during his early career as an advocate. “Cycling was always part of my life. I took a brief break after entering politics, but I returned to it with a renewed purpose,” he added.

Fellow cyclist Prashant Sadashiv Patil praised Kumar’s leadership on the journey: “He was inspiring us throughout the journey with interesting stories; he also taught us about team bonding. It is high time all constituencies encouraged cycling so that we can bring back the habit of cycling in Bengaluru.”

Kumar’s ride stands as a testament to resilience, recovery, and public leadership, inspiring both his constituents and the wider public to embrace fitness and perseverance in the face of health challenges.