02-06-2025
Surat cycling group keeps ardour alive with prizes
Surat: To keep their 'Surti mijaj' (Surti temperament) intact, a group started the Surat Riders Group in 2019. Their motto was to enjoy life through cycling. The group meets at Dumas every Sunday and sets off cycling after the national anthem is played near the statue of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai statue.
The group also awards prizes each month to the three cyclists who log the most kilometres. All the prizes are related to cycling.
Mehul Chaudhary, one of the founders, said: "We have added the words 'Assal Surti Mijaj' to our group's name as we believe in cycling and enjoying life while keeping Surti traditions intact. We have 55 members of ages ranging from 20 to 83 years. When we meet, all of us become 25 years old again. We work out hard on the cycle and have Surti food.
We give away three prizes each month to the most prolific cyclists."
The group has some rules. Members must log a minimum of 30km a day. The person with the most days of reaching this figure gets the first prize. The group believes punctuality is more important than the number of kilometres cycled.
It includes businessmen, doctors, bankers, architects, teachers, engineers and builders as cyclists. They take on the responsibility of getting the prizes. "We mainly give cycling gear as prizes, which includes things like goggles, jerseys, helmets and other things. We also organize cycling tours for the group."
