Odisha Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda released logo of Konark International Cyclethon on 3rd July during the Global Odisha Conference and OSA Convention held in Washington at Gaylord National Resort, Washington DC.
During the release of logo Roots of Odisha Foundation President and Konark International Cyclothon organizing committee Chairman Dhirendra Kar, Minister Devi Prasad Mishra, MLA Priyadarshi Mishra, ROOF senior member USA-based academic Prof. Chita Baral, Lalu Mansingh, and others were presented.
Launching the logo Minister Panda appreciated the initiative of Roots of Odisha Foundation to organize Konark International Cyclethon in Konark. Tourism Minister Panda hopeful that this Cyclothon will not only increase interest in pro cycling in Odisha, but also promote the health benefits of the cycling, promote Odisha Tourism and brand Odisha across the globe.
“Konark International Cyclothon wishes to bring the synergy among the citizen, industry and government to complement the idea of sustainable, productive and healthy living. Roots of Odisha Foundation is planning to bring world’s renowned cyclists, cycling teams, celebrity cycle enthustics and others for the Konark International Cyclothon,” said Roots of Odisha Foundation President Dhirendra Kar. ROOF is planning to add whatever new ideas to put Odisha to the international arena would be done in the time to come and Konark Cyclothon was such a initiative to promote Odisha heritage places for a wider people, he further added.
It should be noted that Roots of Odisha Foundation and OdishaDiary (www.orissadiary.com) orgnaising Konark International Cyclothon on November 29. Konark International Cyclothon is also known as the Tour-de-Konark is a unique event to boast the bicycle culture in the tourist places considering its importance to ecology, economy and to the human health. It is not a cycle race or competition. It is a campaigning to make people aware about their environment, effects of climate change, protection of their ecology and promoting cycling as alternate mode of communication.
The route from Konark to Puri is about 40 km runs through beautiful marine drive, considered to be one of the best virgin marine drive in world. The entire stretch is surrounded by beautiful flora and fauna. The area is home to a number of threatened species of plants and animals besides being a largest wintering ground for migratory birds. The eco-system has abundant in resources that sustains the livelihood for many fisher men, farmers and people employed in tourism sector.
Konark International Cyclothon is one of the maiden events in the region by the bicycle enthusiast to showcase our environmental care and concern as well as to boast the local economy that largely depend on the beautiful and diverse marine eco system. According to the World Resource Centre, coastal habitats alone account for approximately 1/3 of all marine biological productivity, and estuarine ecosystems (i.e., salt marshes, seagrasses, mangrove forests) are among the most productive regions on the planet. In addition, other marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, provide food and shelter to the highest levels of marine diversity in the world. It is our planetary duty to care the ecosystem that sustains many lives that coexist alongside the human race.
Highlight of the Konark International Cyclothon
Venue: Konark
Date: November 29, 2015
Timing: Morning 8 am
Participants: 500 cyclisits across from the globe
Celebrities: 10 celebrities from Bollywood and National Sports Icon will join Konark International Cyclothon
About Roots of Odisha Foundation (ROOF)
Roots of Odisha Foundation (ROOF) is a registered non-governmental organization. ROOF working deeply for the promotion of brand Odisha across the Globe. Roots of Odisha Foundation (ROOF) recently organised Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF) to celebrate the literary and intellectual energy of Bhubaneswar and its national and global interconnections. Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF) is the largest Literary Festival in East India. ROOF invest time, energy and resources to work to promote Odisha’s cause among others in the areas of school education, skills development, health, tourism and youth empowerment etc. Like minded individuals from different walks of life in India and abroad have come together to establish ROOF as a platform that not only highlights issues and challenges that Odisha faces but actively participates and joins the government, citizens, industry, media and NGOs to work towards solution of the problems and also works individually and collaboratively as required at the grassroots level to implement policies and schemes. Roots of Odisha Foundation (ROOF) lead by Trustees Dhirendra Kar, Sudhir Das, Rashmi Ranjan Parida, Prachee Naik, Sitansu Mohapatra, Subhransu Mohapatra.
Prasanta Patnaik