At 70, Bengaluru MLA cycles 700 km to Kanyakumari after beating rare neurological illness | Bengaluru News
BENGALURU: At an age when most people are advised to slow down, Rajajinagar MLA Suresh Kumar chose to do the opposite: He got back on a bicycle and rode more than 700 kms from Bengaluru all the way to Kanyakumari, just months after recovering from a rare and debilitating neurological condition.For the 70-year-old former minister, the journey was far more than a long-distance cycling feat. It was a powerful statement of resilience, recovery and belief in fitness, coming after he was struck down by Chikungunya encephalopathy, a serious complication of the viral infection that left him bedridden and unable to move even his fingers. He was part of a group of 12 cyclists, who completed the journey over five days under the banner ‘Rajajinagar Pedal Power’.Kumar had originally planned to repeat the iconic Bengaluru–Kanyakumari cycling journey in 2024, marking five decades since his first ride. However, the plan had to be put on hold after he, in August 2024, was diagnosed with Chikungunya encephalopathy (CE), a rare but serious neurological complication of the Chikungunya virus, which left him bedridden and unable to even move his fingers. After two to three months of recovery, Kumar slowly returned to cycling in March 2025, crediting the sport for helping him regain strength and mobility. In December this year, he finally undertook the long-distance ride, covering close to 702 km over five days, riding for nearly 37 hours in total along with a group of cyclists from Bengaluru.He and his group began the journey on Tuesday, December 23, leaving Bengaluru at 4 am. On the first day, they covered 157 km in 8.25 cycling hours. The second day saw them ride 159 km in 8.35 hours, followed by 155 km in 8.15 hours on day 3. On the fourth day, the cyclists covered 156 km in 8.20 hours, before completing the final 73 km in 4.05 hours on the fifth day. In all, the group traversed 702 km in 37 cycling hours before reaching Kanyakumari.Recalling his long association with cycling, Kumar said he grew up riding everywhere as a child and continued to use a bicycle even during his early years as an advocate, often cycling to the High Court. “Cycling was always part of my life. I took a brief break after entering politics, but I returned to it with renewed purpose,” he said.Kumar said he was motivated to take cycling more seriously again after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to encourage cycling in every constituency. Since then, he has been actively promoting constituency-level cycling, often riding with local residents and encouraging fitness through community participation.The Bengaluru–Kanyakumari journey, he said, symbolised endurance and determination. “My neurologists are extremely happy that I took up cycling again. It has helped me recover physically and regain confidence,” Kumar said, describing the ride as both a personal milestone and a message on healthy living.Twenty-two Prashant Sadashiv Patil, who cycled with him, said: “He (Suresh Kumar) was inspiring us throughout the journey with interesting stories, he also taught us about team bonding. It is high time all constituencies encourage cycling so that we can bring back the habit of cycling in Bengaluru.” For other cyclists, Kumar’s ride stood as a reminder that recovery, fitness and public leadership can go hand in hand.
