Pune woman to cycle to Kanyakumari to ring in her 70 birthday

She hardly gives you the impression of a strict Math professor. She is lean with a few wisps of greys and armed with an infectious smile. A few days shy of 70, Nirupama Bhave is all set to celebrate her birthday in style. She will be cycling 1,600 km from Pune to Kanyakumari. Unbelievable? Not quite. A retired professor (Head of Mathematics from Savitribai Phule Pune University), she started cycling at the age of 50.Believing firmly in the mantra that one must “keep moving” in life, Bhave’s first cycling expedition was at the age of 55 where she cycled from Wagah border to Agra. And at 69, she went on an expedition to the Everest base camp. I have undergone rigorous training,” she is quick to add.
“I was always an adventurous person. After my son cleared his HSC exams, I took him to Kolhapur on a bike,” she adds. Preparation is underway for Bhave for her Kanyakumari trip. She reveals, “I cycle over 100 km on weekends. I will be cycling for 15 days, and have to achieve the target of covering 40 kms in two hours.”
Her everyday workout includes abdominal exercises for 45 minutes, and 108 Suryanamaskars in the morning. “I take care of myself and I believe that it is wonderful to be fit and in good shape and health,” she adds.
Her diet during the trip will comprise of milk in the morning, and after cycling for an hour, she will have breakfast which will include dates, raisins and boiled eggs. “For now, I have taken up climbing the tekdis nearby, and walking as much as I can. I even run for 10 kms whenever there is a marathon,” she says.