Pedal Power
On a Sunday morning, three students — Vedant and Mayank Desale, and Chinmay Ratnakar — from the Zilla Parishad School in Sogay village near Mumbai, made their way through the empty playground and silent classrooms to a room filled with bicycle parts. They joined two workers, Suleman and Anis, to assemble 60 new bicycles. Known for their interest in mechanics, the three quickly learned the job. “I couldn’t believe we did it! These cycles were ready for our friends, and we could not wait to see their reaction,” says Vedant.
In April 2024, members of RC Thane Hills, RID 3141, visited this school to understand the students’ needs. They learned that many students from economically weaker families travelled long distances, making regular attendance difficult. “When asked what they needed most, the students unanimously requested bicycles,” recalls club president Govind Khetan. The club has adopted this village and has built toilet blocks, conducted medical camps, and recently refurbished the primary school and anganwadi there.
Initially, the club considered repairing old bicycles but soon realised the logistical challenges involved. “Instead, we decided to raise funds and purchase new ones. Under Project Udaan, we collected ₹2.5 lakh and bought new bicycles. The cycle parts were delivered from Ludhiana but needed to be assembled before the bikes could be distributed,” says Khetan.
The task of assembling the bicycles was given to Suleman and Anis. “The three students eagerly joined the workers and helped assemble the cycles over the weekend. Their involvement not only sped up the process but also gave them hands-on experience and joy in doing what they loved most,” says Khetan.
By the month-end, 57 students received their new bicycles. “Their faces lit up with joy as they received their cycles. They embraced Vedant, Chinmay and Mayank, calling them ‘engineers!’ It was such a wonderful sight,” recalls Khetan.
Fighting cervical cancer
Through Project EmpowHer — Because She Matters, conceptual- ised by club secretary Dr Anagha Karkhanis and club president Khetan, the club aims to prevent cervical cancer through HPV vaccination for girls aged 9–14, aligning with the WHO’s goal of vaccinating 90 per cent of girls by age 15. “This project is about empowering young girls with the knowledge and tools to safeguard their health,” says Anagha.
PRID Ashok Mahajan helped the club get ₹1.7 crore from the Aditya Birla group. The funds were used to procure the HPV vaccine, conduct awareness sessions, organise vaccination camps and perform medical screenings. Collaborating with local healthcare authorities, schools and community leaders, the club identified beneficiaries and conducted outreach programmes to raise awareness about cervical cancer and vaccination benefits.
The vaccine was administered with parental consent to 5,800 girls. Certificates were given to beneficiaries, and records were kept for follow-up doses.
