Cycles4Change | Cycling enthusiasts pedal 10 km for a dedicated track in Mangaluru

coastaldigest.com news network

September 27, 2020

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Mangaluru, Sept 27: As many as 65 cycling enthusiasts participated in the Cycles4Change Challenge to create awareness of the proposed 'dedicated cycling track' in Mangaluru today.

Riders as young aged six to 60 pedalled the 10 km route and had first-hand experience of the Mangaluru Smart City cycling route touching schools and colleges. Senior members of We R Cycling guided young riders.

The ride was organised jointly by Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL), in association with architect Niren Jain, We R Cycling and various Cycling clubs.

In the later phases, the cycling track will touch most of Mangaluru’s schools and colleges, so that students can use the track safely and regularly to commute to their institutions. The cycling track, once completed, will also be open to use for all cyclists.

WERC members made sure the cycling group moved smoothly and safely by halting and manning traffic at every junction.

Harniish Raj, the event coordinator and the representative of WERC for Mangaluru Smart city Cycles4Change committee instructed and educated riders on thumb rules of riding safely on public roads, and ensuring that masks were worn by all the participants as per government regulations for Covid-19 safety.

After the ride was complete a small session was conducted to share experiences of cyclists; suggestions and recommendations were presented to Mangaluru Smart City officials for deliberation and implementation to make Mangaluru safe for cyclists.

The Cycles for Change (C4C) challenge, a Union government initiative, aims to inspire Indian cities to implement quick cycling-friendly interventions in the wake of the pandemic, with the support of residents and assistance from experts. The ride took participants through the proposed pilot routes, which are expected to be developed as a dedicated corridor for cycling in the near future.

Members of We R Cycling, Diwakar (Mayor of Mangaluru), Cycles4Change officials Niren Jain (Architect & Environmental Planners consultant to MSCL for transforming Mangaluru to a Cycling Friendly City), Mohammed Nazir (MD), Arun Rao (GM, technical), Chandrakant, Nodal officer for India cycle's 4change challenge, were present.

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Campus politics: DKS pushes to restore student elections in Karnataka banned since 1989

News Network

November 26,2025

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka is taking its first concrete steps towards lifting a three-decade-old ban on student elections in colleges and universities. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced Wednesday that the state government will form a small committee to study the reintroduction of campus polls, a practice halted in 1989 following incidents of violence.

Speaking at a 'Constitution Day' event organised by the Karnataka Congress, Mr. Shivakumar underscored the move's aim: nurturing new political leadership from the grassroots.

"Recently, (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to me and Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) asking us to think about restarting student elections," Shivakumar stated. "I'm announcing today that we'll form a small committee and seek a report on this."

Student elections were banned in Karnataka in 1989, largely due to concerns over violence and the infiltration of political party affiliates into campus life. The ban effectively extinguished vibrant student bodies and the pipeline of young leaders they often produced.

Mr. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Karnataka Congress president, said that former student leaders will be consulted to "study the pros and cons" of the re-introduction.

Acknowledging the history of the ban, he added, "There were many criminal activities taking place back then. We’ll see how we can conduct (student) elections by regulating such criminal activities."

The Deputy CM reminisced about his own journey, which began on campus. He recalled his political activism at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College leading to his first Assembly ticket in 1985 at the age of 23. "That's how student leadership was at the time. Such leadership has gone today. College elections have stopped," he lamented, adding that for many, college elections were "like a big movement" where leaders were forged.

The move, driven by the Congress high command's push to cultivate young talent, will face scrutiny from academics and university authorities who have, in the past, expressed concern that the return of polls could disrupt the peaceful academic environment and turn campuses into political battlegrounds.

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