Day 4 - Nagpur

Here's an article from Mr. Ranjit Deshmukh | TNN (Times of India)

Nagpur: All modified bikes worth their salt, or rather engine oil, signal their arrival with an unmistakably piercing noise. But what sets these two mean machines apart is that they are making noise for all the right reasons — tiger conservation.

Instead of logos of reputed companies or graffiti that betrays a rebellious streak, these motorcycles have cutouts of tiger pug marks and ‘Save Tiger’ posters.That’s because the two bikers — M Aseem (30) and Ashish Jain (20) — are on a 13,000-km expedition across the country, especially villages, to spread awareness to save the big cat from extinction. Aseem is a real estate businessman and a member of an NGO called Chikmagalure Wildlife and Adventure Society. Ashish, a bio-tech student,is associated with another NGO Purlieus. The duo from Bangalore, started their journey
on June 5, World Environment Day and would be completing it in 60 days. The two passed through Nagpur on Tuesday.

The adventure Aseem and Ashish have embarked upon has given them some invaluable experiences. For instance, on June 6, the second day of their expedition which also happened to be Aseem’s birthday, the two had a morale-boosting encounter with some villagers near Adilabad in Andhra Pradesh. Says Aseem: “My bike’s tyre got punctured that day and we had to haul it for close to 2 kms to the nearest village. When we reached there, the villagers were so helpful that the mechanic didn’t charge a single rupee for his services but we were also offered food free of cost. But the best part,” he adds with emotion, “was that elders in the village picked up our ‘Save Tiger’ message and passed it on to the youths of the village who had gathered in large number to check out our bikes.”

The two usually travel 300-400 kms a day, provided they start at 5am. Ashish says,
“We stop at a tea stall at a prominent place in the village. Curious people gather around to see our modified bikes — a Yamaha RX 100 and a Bajaj Pulsar. "Two bikes, two men, one mission "

Nagpur: Two motorcyle riders hailing from Bangalore are on a mission to spread awareness about protecting tigers. Sharing their experiences with TOI, the duo said, “When we pass through villages a good number of people gather around. We tell them about our mission and how they can play a part in tiger conservation. “The reason we have a special inclination towards tribals and villagers is that it is them whom poachers lure with money as they are the ones who know the forest in and out. For a pittance, the poor villagers help poachers who are out to rob us of our big cat.”

Aseem and Ashish have a strange way of touching people’s hearts with their passion.
Wherever they go, they seem to turn strangers into friends and inspire them to do
something for a social cause. In the Orange City, the two bikers met with biking
enthusiast Rinkesh Badwaik and wildlife lover Udayan Patil. A visible impressed
Rinkesh said: “I have always wandered around on bikes but it was never for a cause.
Now, I have a reason.” Shanu Khan, a bike mechanic and a biker himself who conducted small repairs to the ‘tiger’ bikes, said even he would now take up such cause
and like to tour India.

The Bangalore boys have also made some virtual connections via the internet with
like-minded people who would join the two for a leg of the expedition. Dr Dinesh
Thakar and Aneesh Awasthi, who are professional bikers from Himachal Pradesh, will
participate in the expedition in the mountainous state.

In fact,a message on their biking gear sums it up perfectly: “Give your future to see tigers.”