World Records Union recognises Biju BP from Kerala for his all-India motorcycle ride with a mission

“A lifetime is not enough to travel across India. You cannot imagine the diversity that is out there.” This is how Biju BP summarises his 666-day bike ride across the country, which earned him recognition from the World Records Union for the ‘longest solo motorcycle ride across Indian states and Union Territories promoting girl empowerment through education’.

Although he finished the ride in October last year, it took months for the Records Union to verify the feat. “I didn’t undertake the journey keeping this record in mind. I applied for it only when my friends and well-wishers insisted. Since I had already finished the journey, I had to submit the proof, which included recordings, photographs, newspaper cuttings etc to the Records Union. It was officially recognised this May.”

A former banker, 53-year-old Biju quit his job three years ago to pursue his passion for travelling on his motorbike. “I was a bank employee for 25 years and started long-distance trips after I turned 40, during my mandatory annual leave. The longest was the 15-day ride from Kochi to Rajasthan. But after a point, I realised that while the onward journey was always exciting, on my way back home I used to feel low, thinking about work and other pressures at the workplace. I was longing to undertake an all-India trip, which would was not be possible if I had the job. So I took voluntary retirement at the age of 50,” says Biju.

He says that the possibility of interacting with local communities excites him the most about these solo trips. “I was on the lookout for a topic on which I could talk with these people and finally decided upon girls’ empowerment through education.”

Biju observes that it is the girls who often bear the brunt of several social evils, be it child marriage, child prostitution or child labour. “Then there are several personal issues, like periods. Some are hesitant to talk about it, fearing getting ridiculed by boys.”

Biju met students at around 500 institutions in various parts of the country. “Since I am a member of the Rotary Club, I could reach out to many institutions with the help of Rotary chapters across the country. I also got the support of several big and small NGOs.”

Biju adds that he held interactive sessions at all these places. “The core message was about what I believe empowerment is – when you take decisions for yourself, you are empowered. That is applicable for all genders. In fact, since most of my sessions were at co-ed institutions, there were boys also. That was a good thing because I believe that boys should learn how to interact with girls who are empowered.”

He adds that there was an “impactful” experience as well, at a school in Tamil Nadu. “That was the time of floods, and I was at this school with members of the Rotary Club for relief work. People from nearby areas had come to collect relief materials. A teacher told me that many of the girls drop out after Class VIII because they were married off. I was taken aback when I saw this 16- or 17-year-old girl with her child. There was a lawyer in our group, and we immediately formed an action group to create awareness in that community about the legal implications of child marriage. I kept in touch with the group and have come to know that not a single girl (underage) has been married off since.”

The ride has been an eye-opener in many ways, he adds. “It broke some myths. I entered Bihar with a negative impression about the State, but I got the warmest welcome there. My stay at Nagaland also gave me surprises. I also caught up with fellow travellers, women truck drivers and a young woman hitchhiker. People say India is not safe to travel. I admit there are issues, but we end up highlighting only the negative aspects, whereas I returned with many good memories.”

Currently working as a consultant, Biju avers that he is happy to have done his bit for society. “If I was able to do this, anybody can. It can be even a small issue pertaining to your neighbourhood.”