New Delhi:
Two Indian explorers will set out on a 35,000-km overland journey later this month in public transport from the shore of Arctic Ocean to the Antarctic to spread awareness on climate change across the world.
The expedition named 'Pangea One World' will be undertaken by Akhil Bakshi along with his doctor friend Rajendra Jain and they will pass through countries such as the US, Mexico, Guatemala, Antigua, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Ecuador and Argentina.
"The journey, during which we will meet professors in 18 universities working on climate change and its impact, would be completed in three months and three weeks and the last stop would be Punta Arenas, which is the southernmost point near the Cape Horn," Mr Bakshi said.
The expedition is self-sponsored as the explorer did not find sponsors but will be fully supported by Indian missions on way as they would be kept posted by the MEA about the schedule of the duo, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said.
"We will have to break out of the old model of the government support even in the field of cultural diplomacy," he said.
On the importance of Latin American region for India, he said, "Latin America is something we need to work on. We just have not had enough bilateral visits. They have made more visits than we have and we need to reciprocate that."
Mr Khurshid said India and Latin America have a large scope and potential to cooperate in the fields of energy and education and several other fields.
He said in the near future, there will be important visits by Indian dignitaries to the Latin American region as Vice President Hamid Ansari would be in Peru soon while he would himself be visiting Brazil for the heads of missions meeting.