The number of girls riding bicycles has come down drastically over the past decade, which may be attributed to the increasing safety concerns about girls in society. The “Pink Riders”, the first girls’ cycle collective of Kozhikode was launched on Monday, on the occasion of International Women’s Day aiming to attract more girls into cycling.
“Girls are often apprehensive about cycling and social stigma is the reason in some cases. This is an effort to break such conventions”, said Sahir Abdul Jabbar, the cycle Mayor of Kozhikode, after the Pink Ride launch on Monday.
The Pink Ride was a cycle rally carried out by the first batch of Pink Riders formed under the aegis of the National Cadet Corps unit in the district. The women cadets of NCC carried out the ride from Vellayil to Puthiyappa and back to Kozhikode beach to mark their launch.
The Pink Riders’ collective is being formed under the initiative of the Grand Cycle Challenge of Green Care Mission, which is intended to popularise cycling in the district.
Voluntary organisations and residents’ associations too have joined hands with the project. The plan is to form Pink Riders’ groups in every school, club and college in the district. The Grand Cycle Challenge also plans to provide professional cycling training to girls to equip them to be part of competitions.
Later, Nandana P. and Meenakshi P.M., two national cycling champions from the district, were honoured with “Cycle Prathibha award” by Deputy Mayor C.P. Musafir Ahamed.
Besides, the chief patron of the Grand Cycle Challenge gave away free cycles to students under the Cycle Smile programme, a part of the challenge.
Chairman of Green Care Mission K.T.A. Nassar presided over the event. Administrative officer of NCC 30K Battalion Lt .Col. Surendran was present.
