Indian cyclist reaches Guyana through Lethem border

…travelling world for HIV/AIDS awareness, Indian culture

The Indian national and philanthropist, 34-year-old Somen Debnauth, has reached Guyana after riding the rough terrain from Brazil to Lethem in Region Nine. He is currently on a World Bicycle Tour Programme spreading awareness on the epidemic of HIV/AIDS, and highlighting aspects of the Indian Culture.

Debnauth began his World Bicycle Tour in India on May 27, 2004, and has so far

travelled through 132 countries (including Colombia), completing 148,500 kilometres of travel on his pedal cycle from India. His main objective is to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS, in particular among poor people in urban, rural and tribal areas, and spread the message of peace and humanity with Indian culture through his planned tour of 191 countries, which he expects to complete by end-2020 covering almost 200,000 km and reaching almost 20 million people. His campaign is currently supported by personal donations and Indian companies.

He recently completed his facilitated tour in Colombia and Ecuador, and is hoping to traverse Guyana to neighbouring Suriname next. In an interview with Guyana Times, Debnauth said his cycling passion birthed right after acquiring his Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology at the University of Calcutta. He has also obtained the ‘Visarad’ degree in Fine Arts at the University of Sarbabhartiya, Calcutta, West Bengal, India.

He intends, in 2017-2018, to visit countries in South America, the Caribbean, Central and North America. In 2018-2019, he intends to visit?Canada, Russia, Siberia, Mongolia and China, Korea, Japan, Philippines, New Zealand and Australia; and in 2020 he intends to visit Sumatra, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Bangladesh before returning to India on May 27, 2020.

Asked what prompted him to ride for HIV patients, the wise Debnath said?he was inspired to undertake this mission at the age of 14, when he read the article entitled “AIDS is more deadly than cancer”.

The person referred to in the said article was homeless and was sitting in front of the Medical College of Calcutta, abandoned by its inhabitants and left to die alone. The article had a great impact on him.

Two years later, Somen decided to get specialised training in WBSACS (Society of West Bengal State AIDS Control) and started awareness campaign on HIV/AIDS education from his own school. The AIDS-related stigma and lack of awareness about this deadly but preventable disease motivated him more. His first mission was extended to the people of his village, then in India, and it is now a global campaign for him.

He said his desire is to educate people from different parts of society by raising awareness among students in schools, colleges, universities, and also encourage these institutions to begin a chapter on the sensitisation program on HIV/AIDS, promote the use of needles and syringes among people addicted to drugs, and condoms for sex workers.

Difficulties

During his travels, he has faced many difficulties, including 24 days’ captivity by the Taliban in Afghanistan. He was robbed six times in Central Asia; faced -35 Degrees Celsius temperature in the former USSR; eight times beaten by skinheads in the wilderness; and lived with one of the most ancient Jarawa tribes in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, of India for 20 days. One of the happiest persons he has met on his journey was a Bangladeshi with 25 rupees per day income per quarter, happily living with his family. Interestingly, from his campaign funds & Global Village Project, 40 per cent of the funds collected during the campaign is spent on his travel expenses and the remaining 60 per cent is devoted to his Global Village. “I would like to invite all friends and families around the world that I am meeting on my trip to come to India and be in the Global Village,” Debnauth has said. Debnauth said he would like to thank the India High Commission office in Guyana for their hospitality, and those who have made his riding journey a success. Somen Debnath is presently in Georgetown.