STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Col Ranveer Singh Jamwal is not the new name in achieving the unachievable in the adventure circle. He has again made the whole J&K proud by leading a four-member cycling team which cycled in six South Eastern Asian nations, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
“This was India’s first seven nation cycling expedition that covered a mammoth distance of over 5374 kilometers and that too in just 37 days,” Col Jamwal told Sports & Allied News.
During the course of the journey, ‘Team NIMAS (National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports) charted the historic route that was taken by ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ and visited some forgotten places of national importance such as the ‘Battle of Kampar’ site and ‘Merdika Square’ in Kuala Lumpur where Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose delivered a motivational speech to over 60000 Indians in 1943, met INA veterans and united with fellow cycling brethren.
The event was conducted under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence and led by our son of the soil, Col Ranveer Singh Jamwal. The Team NIMAS broke the absolute distance record of 5364 kilometers in just 37 days cycling through Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore, a feat achieved by no Indian before. The expedition was concluded at INA War Memorial in Singapore.
With India assuming the chair of G20 ushering the world as a knowledge and cultural leader, it is India’s year of ‘Connect’ and connecting especially in the neighbourhood is of prime significance.
Taking the universal oneness motto of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ forward, NIMAS cycling expedition in North East and subsequently in South East Asia was launched with a simple yet passionate mission.
The cycling expedition was to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful and in doing so, spread the message of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and strengthen the Indo-ASEAN friendship bond.
Colonel Ranveer Jamwal further said, “After the successful completion of the first chapter of the expedition in the Northeast India, where we cycled in all seven Northeastern states in December 2022 and covered around 1100 kms, the task and expectation from this expedition grew manifolds. It was time to shift the gears and expand our horizons to Southeast Asia for Chapter two with an even bigger mission to do intensive and deeply immersive cycling in our friendly SEA countries”.
“We covered six nations in less than 37 days, by cycling nearly 200 kms on certain days through rough terrains, gravel roads, dense remote jungles in extremely warm weather with no facilities reroute at times. Cycling in South East Asian countries is a deeply immersive albeit strenuous experience that combines authentic local experiences, exciting activities, and enough downtime to really relax and soak it all in”, he disclosed.
Colonel Jamwal is presently the Director of the Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh-based NIMAS and is the only Indian to have climbed the highest mountain of all seven summits along with three Everest summits.
“During this long expedition, we touched upon areas of our historical relevance such as Padang in Singapore from where Netaji gave his iconic speech and we have already visited war cemeteries and memorials in Vietnam paying homage to martyrs of both nations,” mentioned Col Ranveer.
At Kampar, a historical place where 1300 British and Indian soldiers delayed the advancing enemy forces during 1941’s historic battle of Kampar in World War-II. The team was felicitated by the High Commissioner of India to Malaysia at India House. “Along the way, we tried to propagate the thought of ‘Fit India Movement’, Colonel Jamwal added.
