45-year old woman creates record cycling solo from Gujarat to Arunachal
Guwahati (PTI): A 45-year-old mother of two has proved that age is just a number by cycling solo about 4000 km from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh in about 14 days.
Pune-based Preeti Maske began her ride from Koteshwar Temple in the western border with Pakistan on November 1 and cycled her way through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, expedition's chief crew Ghanshyam Raghuwanshi told PTI on Monday.
Maske completed her 3995 km ride in 13 days, 19 hours and 12 minutes to reach Kibithu, near the border with China in Arunachal Pradesh at midnight of November 14, he said.
Her feat made her the first woman solo cyclist to ride across the country from West to East in just 14 days.
Maske had taken up cycling five years ago to combat illness and depression.
The paperwork, evidence, time stamp pictures have been submitted and accepted by World Ultra Cycling Association and Guisness World Record. "They will process the same and award the certificate in due course'', Raghuwanshi said.
It took time to provide the information to the media due to poor digital network issues in the remote areas of Arunachal Pradesh. It delayed the completion of the required formalities with WUCA-GWR.
Maske was followed by a five-member crew in a vehicle. She faced many challenges along the way, particularly in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh with a total elevation gain of 15,679 m.
"Cycling was tough in these treacherous areas as there was heavy head wind from Darbhanga in Bihar. After Tezu in Arunachal Pradesh, the route is treacherous with elevation, bad roads, boulders and construction work," she told PTI.
Besides, the temperature dropped to 2-3 degrees celsius in Arunachal Pradesh during the evening and night. "This made it difficult to ride and we also didn't have adequate warm clothing. With zero network and abandoned roads, we missed the direction and had to take a longer route in the night,'' Maske said.
The Border Roads Organisation gave the necessary logistic and navigational support which helped her to complete the expedition.
Maske cycled for almost 350 kms in the first ten days with an average saddle cycling time of 19 hours.
"Managing sleep deprivation in a continuous non-stop ride was a challenge. I was cycling continuously for 19 hours and sometimes for more than 24 hours. It was coffee that kept me awake," she said.
Maske got a severe cramp in her legs near the Assam-Arunachal border. ''It appeared that she would have to call off the rest of the ride but with massage, stretching exercises and rest she recovered," Raghuwanshi said.
She undertook the expedition to support and create awareness for organ donation for the organisation RebirthThrust.org.
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Mamata asks TMC nominees not to leave counting centres as EC data shows BJP leading
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged TMC candidates and agents to remain vigilant and not to leave counting centres, alleging that there was a "game plan" by the BJP and the Election Commission to show the saffron party taking a lead in the early trends of counting.
In a video message issued during the counting of votes, the TMC supremo appealed to party workers to stay put and not to lose morale.
"I appeal to everyone that neither TMC candidates nor counting agents should abandon counting centres," she said.
As trends on the Election Commission website indicated the BJP leading in 188 seats against the TMC's 94, Banerjee maintained that her party was still ahead in a significant number of constituencies.
"We are still ahead in 170 seats, but I request everyone not to lose hope," she said, adding that there were "around 70 to 100 seats where we are leading, but they are not sharing the data of those seats".
"A false narrative is being spread," she alleged.
The chief minister accused the Election Commission of "not declaring results or leads" in areas where the TMC was ahead.
"This is a game plan by the EC and the BJP as it (poll panel) is not declaring results or leads in areas where we are leading," she said.
Banerjee also alleged irregularities in the counting process at some locations.
"In several places, counting has been stopped after the first two to three rounds. In Kalyani, we have caught seven machines with severe anomalies," she claimed.
She further alleged that TMC workers were being "harassed with the help of central forces" and that party offices were being "vandalised and forcefully captured".
"With the help of central forces, they are harassing and torturing AITC workers. Our offices have been vandalised," she said, also alleging that voter list revision exercises were "purposefully done to target seats where we were strong".
Seeking to reassure party workers, Banerjee said more rounds of counting were yet to take place and urged them to stay firm.
"Fourteen to eighteen rounds of counting will happen. You will surely emerge victorious. Don't be afraid; fight like tigers," she said.
Her remarks came as counting trends suggested that the BJP was leading in 188 seats and had crossed the halfway mark of 148 in the 294-member assembly, pointing to a potential shift in the state's political landscape.
Counting for 293 constituencies was underway with postal ballots, followed by EVM votes.
Officials cautioned that trends could change as more rounds are counted, and final results would be known later in the day.
জরুরি বার্তা pic.twitter.com/Uc82oihwEL
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 4, 2026
