- From Arunachal to Mundra, a Cycle Ride Turns into a National Movement for Trees
- Everest Summiteer Nisha Kumari, Coach Nilesh Barot and 8-Year-Old Nixa Show the Power of Purpose
- Campaign Seeks to Plant 1 Lakh Trees, Inspire Fitness and Spark Climate Consciousness
- ‘Change Before Climate Change’ Rallies Youth, Students and Citizens Across India
- Journey Culminates at Mundra, Symbolising Sustainability, Scale and Collective Action
NE SPORTS BUREAU
MUNDRA, DEC 31
A powerful message for the planet rolled into Mundra as the ‘Pedal to Plant’ campaign, a 4,600-km cycling expedition from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat, concluded with an enthusiastic welcome at Adani House, Mundra, turning an endurance feat into a clarion call for climate action.
Cyclists Nisha Kumari, Nilesh Barot and eight-year-old Nixa Barot were greeted by the Bagpiper Band of Adani Public School and 75 cheering students, marking the successful completion of a journey that blended environmental advocacy, fitness and citizen participation.
Cycling with a Cause: Trees, Fitness and Climate Awareness
The expedition’s central mission is ambitious yet urgent—to make India greener by planting more than 100,000 trees, while spreading awareness about climate change, sustainable living and healthy lifestyles under the slogan “Change Before Climate Change.”
Covering towns, cities and classrooms across the country, the cyclists engaged with students and citizens, urging them to see tree plantation not as a symbolic act, but as a personal responsibility.
A Team That Redefined Possibility
Led by mountaineer and environmental ambassador Nisha Kumari, one of the few Indian women to summit Mount Everest and complete the India-to-London endurance journey, the expedition demonstrated how individual resolve can spark collective change.
Cycling coach and environmental activist Nilesh Barot guided the journey, while the presence of young Nixa Barot emerged as its most compelling symbol—proving that environmental consciousness and fitness can begin at any age.
Why Mundra Matters
The choice of Mundra Port as the campaign’s endpoint carried strong symbolic value. Adani Ports is among the world’s greenest port operators, with initiatives such as large-scale mangrove afforestation, tree plantations, electrification of port equipment, and a roadmap toward renewable energy-powered operations and net-zero emissions.
The finish at Mundra reinforced the idea that sustainability must scale—from individual action to institutional commitment.
Voices from the Journey
Reflecting on the expedition, Nilesh Barot said: “Our motto for this cycling journey is to promote tree plantation with the powerful slogan ‘Change Before the Climate Change.’ We primarily focus on raising awareness about climate change and fitness throughout the expedition. Despite facing numerous difficulties along the way, we believe that dedication will always lead you to your goals. What Nisha Kumari has achieved today—completing this arduous journey—is a testament to the same unwavering dedication that enabled her to summit Mount Everest.”
Rakshit Shah, Executive Director, APSEZ, stated that the Adani Group remains deeply committed to environmental and sustainable initiatives, aligning industry growth with ecological responsibility.
A Green Finish Line
The campaign concluded with a symbolic tree plantation at Mundra Port, transforming the end of a long-distance ride into the beginning of a larger environmental movement.
More than a cycling expedition, ‘Pedal to Plant’ emerged as a reminder that climate action does not wait for policies alone—it begins with people, pedals and purpose.
