It’s the story of a girl named Jyoti Kumari, only 15 year old.
Jyoti cycled almost 1,200 km, for seven days, from Gurgaon to Bihar.
She kept pedaling almost non-stop with her father riding pillion, to reach home during lockdown. The seven days were the most painful but hopeful days of her life.
A clear depiction of endurance that Jyoti is, the Indian Cycling Federation has decided to invite Jyoti to trials next month. This may become an opportunity for her to turn her life around.
In March, Jyoti had visited her father to Gurgaon who had met with an accident. The accident had left him incapable to continue with his job of driving an e-rickshaw.
Due to lockdown, Jyoti could not go back to her village and was left with no choice but to stay with her father in Gurgaon during lockdown.
The father-daughter duo struggled during lockdown as they has no job, no money and the landlord threatened time and again for rent or vacate the house.
On the verge of starvation, Jyoti took the call to return her hometown Darbhanga in Bihar, but not without her father who couldn’t walk. Jyoti decided to borrow money to buy a bicycle.
Initially her father resisted. He didn’t believe it was possible. Finally they left everything to the fate. Left Gurgaon, with continuous pedaling, stopping at places where free food was being distributed, sipping water, staying hungry for two day- finally reaching the hometown. The joy of returning wiped off the fatigue.
Jyoti is a true example of hope and determination. Proving herself to be today’s Shravan Kumar.