Known as the “The Bicycle Man of India,” Neeraj Kumar Prajapati, has embarked on a mission from Kashmir to Kanyakumari for promoting and popularising millets across the country. During his two month journey he is pedaling more than 4200 kilometre distance interacting with farmers across the country.
Hailing from Sonipat district in Haryana, Prajapati, an engineer turned organic farming activist, has garnered recognition both locally and internationally for his selfless service in agriculture, environment, and food security.
Since April 2019, Prajapati has been on an organic bicycle ride, covering around 50,000 kilometers across states like Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Through his mission aimed at creating awareness and promoting organic farming in India, he is advocating for practices that safeguard farmers from pesticide-induced health issues.
During a conversation with Rising Kashmir, Prajapati revealed a poignant reality that a train from Bhatinda to Bikaner carries passengers majority of whom are cancer patients. The patients travel to Bikaner to seek treatment.
He said that in Bhatinda, every household reportedly has a cancer patient, a dire situation attributed to the use of pesticides in various agriculture crops. Witnessing the impact on communities, Prajapati decided to champion the cause of organic farming to protect farmers and consumers alike.
His organic mission bicycle ride, covering 1,11,111 kilometers, had to be temporarily halted to align with the spirit of the International Year of Millets. Scheduled to resume on December 1, 2023, from historic Lalchowk in Srinagar, the two-month journey will conclude at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari on January 31, 2024.
Executing this mission through the Harit Pradesh Agro Foundation (HPAF), of which he is the Founder Director and supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Prajapati aims to uplift millet farmers across the country. HPAF focuses on promoting sustainable livelihoods by enhancing farmers’ capacities in improved agricultural practices, incorporating new technologies, and fostering crop yields, water conservation, and soil fertility.
Prajapati’s inspiration for the millet promotion mission stemmed from a conference where he proposed the unique idea of a nationwide bicycle ride. Various national and international agriculture institutes have lauded his efforts in popularizing millets.
Suresh K. Malhotra, Director ICAR- DKMA and Former Agriculture Commissioner, Government of India, recognised India’s historical connection with millets and commended Prajapati’s distinctive approach.
“As the world celebrates the International Year of Millets in 2023, Prajapati emerges as a symbol of change, spreading awareness about the nutritional, health, and environmental benefits of millets through his 4200+ km Mission Millets Promotion Cycle Ride,” he observed, adding that Prajapati’s dedication positions him as a potential Brand Ambassador for furthering the cause of millets, promoting the Indian millets brand “Shree Anna” for the nutritional benefit of people and the prosperity of farmers.
