Meet Jasmeet Singh Gandhi, the man who raised 37 lakhs for the education of girls by cycling 1400 kms from Mumbai to Delhi in 10 days

In a country like India, where patriarchy and poverty still exists, the importance of education for girls is often lost on families from rural communities where money is tight and the male child is preferred and celebrated.

However, Gurgaon based non-profit organization IIMPACT founded by IIM-A graduates is of the belief that the girl child shouldn’t be left behind either.

And, in a bid to ensure girls from rural areas get access to free quality primary education, IIMPACT has set up over 30 learning centres in over 11states aided by their donors and sponsors where approximately 45,000 girls have been educated till Class V.

The good news is, they are not alone in their fight.

Helping them is Mumbai-based cyclist Jasmeet Singh Gandhi, who cycled from Mumbai to Delhi crossing a distance of 1400 kms in under 10 days to raise awareness for this very cause under Umeed 1000 Cyclothon.

Last year, the 46-year old Microsoft employee cycled from Mumbai to Bangalore to raise funds for cancer patients. And, this year it is education of the girl child that he had on his mind.

“The choice was a very clear one. I am surrounded by women at home. I see what they are capable of. To even think that by not educating our girls we’re denying the chance to let 50% of the population contribute to the nation is heartbreaking and disappointing, really,” Gandhi tells me, matter of factly.

He goes on to add how he thinks that the saying ‘Behind every successful man is a woman’ is downright sexist. “I don’t think women are meant to stand behind. I take pride in saying that my wife is more educated and capable than me and she’s not just standing behind but everywhere. Women are heroes. It’s time we treat them like one,” he adds.

When asked about the biggest challenge of cycling from Mumbai to Delhi and leaving his tyre-prints in four states, he laments on the lack of proper infrastructure for cyclists in the country. “It’s so easy for an accident to happen,” he states.

When he started his journey on December 7, Gandhi had pledged to raise the money required for educating 1,000 girls, after he found out that it takes Rs 3,000 a year to educate one girl-child.

Today on December 17, after the completion of his cycling odyssey, he learnt that his efforts managed to raise Rs 37 lakhs, way more than what he had aimed for.

“It’s always good knowing you over-achieved, especially when you come from a corporate background” he tells me with a shy smile.

Image credit: Iamin/DNA