A group of 20 cyclists pedalled 1,600 km from Udgir in Maharashtra to Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu to spread awareness about Rally for Rivers, an initiative of city-based Isha Foundation.

The group – ‘UTR Cycling – began their journey on December 16 and reached Rameswaran on January 1. The team arrived at the Isha Yoga Centre on Thursday, a foundation release said.

The team members normally reach Tirupati on January 1 every year. “However, this time it was a special, after they came to know about Rally for Rivers and decided to do something for this noble cause and doubled their usual distance of 800 kms to 1,600 km,” the release added.

They covered five states – Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Puducherry, where they met Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi who lauded their effort.

They were received with a lot of celebration and festivity and the people’s response to the rally was tremendous and more so in small towns and villages along the way, it said.