This 34-year-old cyclist who left a lucrative IT job for his passion to spread awareness about various social issues was in Mangaluru on Sunday, September 4, during his Kerala to London bicycle ride to cover over 30,000 km in 450 days.
Fayis Asraf Ali from Thalakkulathur in Kozhikode district of Kerala has in his plan to cover 35 countries, 500 destinations, 150 schools and 25 universities during the ride that was flagged off from Thiruvananthapuram on August 15. Through this ride, Mr. Ali intends to create awareness about fitness and healthcare, “End Polio Now” of the Rotary Mission, promoting conflict resolution and peace building, impart young generation globally of “the virtues of our culture and beauty of Malayalam” and Go Green.
Mr. Ali left his job of networking engineer in 2016 to take care of his father Ashraf who had cardiac ailment and got into cycling then. However, his father died in 2018 and Mr. Ali believed cycling activity would strengthen one’s heart. After his Kerala-London ride was flagged off, he covered almost all the districts of Kerala and now entered Karnataka. From Mangaluru, he would ride to Mumbai and then take complete the first leg of the ride and flies to Muscat for the onward ride. Covering all the countries in the Gulf Cooperation, Mr. Ali would enter Iraq from Kuwait.
He has planned discussions and presentations with student groups en-route. He hopes to be in touch with voluntary organisations and socio-cultural organisations as well as youth groups during the ride. In 2019, Mr. Ali had undertaken a solo ride from Kerala to Singapore that inspired him for this ride covering 35 countries.
City-based dental surgeon and seasoned rider P.N. Ramaraj who saw Mr. Ali off in Mangaluru on Sunday said Rotary was supporting the ride and he would complete the mission by August next.
