London:
Daxa Patel, an employee of the University of Leicester, is all set to cycle across Karnataka to raise money for HEAL, a charity organisation committed to providing shelter, support, education and healthcare for more than 1,000 children in India.
Patel, a personal assistant to the Head of the Physics and Astronomy Department, will travel across Karnataka. She has already raised more than 2,000 pounds for the cause.
The trail for Cycle India 2010 is through villages, small towns and the countryside, offering a beautiful and non-touristy glimpse of India.
Patel will fly out to Bangalore on January 1 and will travel to Mysore for the start of the charity cycle, where she has four-and-half days to cover 190 miles.
"I look at my children and feel fortunate to be able to provide them with the basics of a roof over their head, a start to a good education and feel this is definitely the right thing for me to do as I will be helping children who will also stand a good chance of building a decent education which will help contribute to a starting a good career in years to come," Patel said.
"I know the cycling will not be easy but visualising all the children that will benefit from my participation is an inspiration in itself for me, and the best part is we will meet the village children at the end of the cycle," she added.
At the end of the route, the cyclists will have the opportunity to meet the children they are helping.
HEAL previously organised a Cycle India fundraiser in 2008, when 100,000 pounds were raised for the charity organisation.