Puducherry student creates Guinness travel record

August 01, 2021 07:44 pm | Updated August 02, 2021 02:48 am IST - RAMESWARAM

G.V. Dheelepan and J. Adamsonraj with tourism officials in Rameswaram on Sunday.

G.V. Dheelepan and J. Adamsonraj with tourism officials in Rameswaram on Sunday.

Travelling 35,583 km, covering 23 States and four Union Territories in the country in the last five months, two persons, including a research scholar from the Department of Tourism Studies, Pondicherry University, successfully completed their mission at Rameswaram on Sunday.

Attempting to enter the Guinness Book of World Records, G.V. Dheelepan, the research scholar, and his associate J. Adamsonraj, an alumni of Pondicherry University, left Puducherry on February 7.

Under the category ‘Journey by the longest scheduled public transport in a single country,’ the two covered the trip by travelling in 43 trains, 34 buses and eight flights.

In a jubilant mood after completing the mission, Mr. Dheelepan told The Hindu that they broke the earlier record of 29,119 km in 2018.

The objective was to instil confidence among the people of the country that they could travel by following the standard operating procedure during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a need to revive the tourism sector as it had been badly hit due to the pandemic.

As a student of tourism, Mr. Dheelepan said domestic tourism brought in much-required synergy and inspiration. Youth and others, who enjoyed travel, had plenty of tourist spots to see for themselves in India.

Though there were language barriers at a few places in the northeast, the reception accorded by the people was so warm and cordial that it was easily overcome. The traditional food served in Agartala was delicious and it was the most memorable visit of the whole trip, they added.

Recalling their experience in Kolkata, the two said that a senior citizen was overwhelmed upon seeing them. “When we told him that we were from Madras and Pondicherry in south India, he welcomed us with folded hands and said Vanakkam .”

Sponsors for the programme, India Tourism (South) Regional Director D. Venkatesan said adventure travel was one of the key tools for tourism promotion. The two youths had travelled in scheduled public transport — be it bus or train or flight — to different States over the last five months.

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