Two Indian men reach UAE on cycles to visit Makkha
Dubai, May 23: Two Indian men have arrived in the UAE on cycles pedalling 3,800-kilometer across three countries, three months after they set out on a cycling adventure to visit Makkah in Saudi Arabia.
Muhammed Saleem, 53, and his 42-year-old friend Rizwan Ahmad Khan are from Bangalore and have been cycling under the sun while fasting. They even lost their bicycles.
"Our bicycles got lost on our ferry boat ride from Bandar Abbas to the UAE. I was a little frustrated because it was the first day of fasting and it was too hot, But people in Sharjah port went out of their way to help us find our bicycles," Saleem said.
"We experienced many different cultures, ate different foods and prayed in so many places," Saleem told the Khaleej Times.
Saleem and Khan pedalled almost 1,300-kilometer in India, 700 to 800 kilometres in Oman, and 1,700 kilometres in Iran.
Originally, they planned to cycle their way through India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia with no other means of transportation.
However, getting visas to Pakistan and Iraq was not easy.
"We decided to pedal to Oman, fly to Tehran and pedal all the way to Bandar Abbas, and then go through the UAE to Saudi Arabia", Saleem said.
The duo hopes to reach Makkah by July 25, just in time for Hajj that will start on August 9.
"From here, we will go to the Saudi border. Then, we will go to Riyadh, to Madina, and then to Makkah. My dream is to travel in Ihram cloth to Makkah, that is why we are going to Madina first," Saleem said.
This isn't the first time Saleem has embarked on such an adventure. He has been cycling for 35 years and has been a three-time state champion in India.
"I have cycled around Europe in 1989 and once pedalled from Kuwait to Dubai," he said.
Saleem and Khan have been pedalling 75 to 100 kilometres per day.
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India moving towards becoming global economic powerhouse: Kovind
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Amritsar (PTI): Former president Ram Nath Kovind on Friday said that with digital transformation, economic reforms and a strong focus on the ease of doing business, India is moving towards becoming a global economic powerhouse.
He was speaking after inaugurating the 19th edition of the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) in Amritsar.
The former president said that this 19th edition of PITEX is being organised at a time when India is recognised as one of the fastest-growing large economies in the world.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the event organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) the former president, while referring to Punjab, said the state is a living example of courage, sacrifice and enterprise.
"The spiritual light of Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) inspires peace and humanity across the world. The heritage of Punjab is deep and inspiring," Kovind said, according to a statement issued by the PITEX.
The former president congratulated the PHDCCI for hosting the 19th edition of PITEX and suggested that the chamber should expand PITEX outside Punjab.
He proposed that a similar event should also be held in New Delhi.
