Mumbai. Lt Col Bharat Pannu, bags his third Guinness World Record by cycling across the country from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh in 9 days 7 hrs & 5mins covering one of the most difficult terrines and a phenomenal distance of 3800 km to set the new record. This was a part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary, victory of the Indian Armed Forces in the 1971 INDO- PAK war, the year is being observed as ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ in honour of the Indian Soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty.
Lt Col Bharat Pannu, a graduate from AIT Pune and a serving Electronics and Mechanical Engineer (EME) officer in the Indian Army. He is passionate about cycling and has created two consecutive World Records for fastest solo cycling. As his third expedition in ultra-cycling event, this year he associated with the Indian Army to commemorate the victory against Pakistan in 1971 and covered 3,800 km from West to East of India in just 9 days.
‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ celebration has observed participation across the defence forces, ministers including special involvement by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and people at large. The core objective is to inspire the youth of the country and instil pride in our soldiers who lay their life for the nation, educating them about the acts of heroism and sacrifice. Showcase the heritage, achievements, struggles, selfless sacrifice and dedication of the Indian Army personnel in protecting the sovereignty of the country. And celebrate our 1971 Win, Independence of Bangladesh and the efforts of the Indian Armed Forces.
udChalo, a consumer technology company, has always stood by the armed forces and exists with a solitary aim of ‘Serving the Services’ supported the cause and has provided all the necessary requisites to Lt Col Bharat Pannu to achieve the feat.
Commenting on the record, Ravi Kumar, CEO, udChalo said, “We are honoured to be associated with Lt Col Bharat Pannu. The strong grit combined with passion and sustained persistence applied towards focused achievement has ensured the task was completed in the designated time to achieve the desired success. At the same time is a testimony of resilience, ambition, and self-control in the pursuit of goals that take months and years of hard work to translate into anticipated results. We salute his passion and these qualities strongly resonates with our mission and values.”
On completion of the record, Lt Col Pannu said, “Cycling is liberating, it is an elixir to the soul. I am proud to be a part of the armed forces and the Indian Army that has always motivated me to take the leap and challenge the unattainable thus finding a way into the Guinness Book of Records. To attempt a Guinness World Record, one doesn’t only need to be committed but also smart, and with a clear strategy to win.”
The engagement commenced on October 17, 2021, at 00:17hrs from Koteshwar, Gujarat and finished in Kibithoo, Arunachal Pradesh on October 26, 2021, at 14:18hrs. The crew and team engaged with the youth in Jaipur, Agra, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Siliguri and Tezpur. Despite adverse weather conditions and manmade circumstances like traffic, roadblocks, the journey was not impacted and a great message was sent to the youth of the country along the way. The team consisted of 6 members a nutritionist, navigator, bike mechanic, physiotherapist.
