WB cyclist reaches Itanagar to raise cancer awareness

A youth from West Bengal who has embarked on a multi-nation cycle journey with a mission to raise cancer awareness on Friday reached here to spread the message on how to prevent the deadly disease which affects nearly 1.6 lakh people annually in India.

Covering a distance of 14,000 kilometres till date, 24-year-old Anirban Acharya from Kolkata, is planning to cover 100 countries in the world by 2020. Acharya, who reached Itanagar on Friday morning, was felicitated by the members of Arunachal Press Club, Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists and Arunachal Electronic Media Association for his cause. He was handed over a letter of appreciation and some cash. Starting his journey from New Delhi on June 6 last year, Acharya has covered Punjab, Harayana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Goa, Chennai, Kerala, Kanyakumari, Odisha and Kolkata before reaching Arunachal Pradesh. From here, he would start for Jorhat in Assam via the world's largest river island Majuli and would proceed to Tripura from where he would set out for Bangladesh, Laos, Indonesia, China and other South East Asian countries.

Acharya told reporters that he would also visit Europe and America to cover 100 countries in all the continents. "Since my school days, I was involved with adventure sports and I want to do something challenging. I got my inspiration from various books which I read during my school days," he said. Previously, Acharya had travelled to Kashmir on his bicycle from Kolkata in 2012.