Armed Forces personnel from India, Sri Lanka and Nepal will embark on a bike expedition from Lumbini to Colombo, along the Buddha circuit, to strengthen ties and foster goodwill among south Asian nations.
The Heartfulness Bike Expedition will be flagged off from Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, by Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Buddha Jayanti on May 23 and conclude in Colombo on June 16, said Rahul Patil, co-convenor of the Heartfulness Buddha Circuit Ride (HBCR).
Initiated by the Sri Lankan government in collaboration with the governments of Nepal and India, the expedition will have 15 bikers from the Armed Forces of the three countries ride through diverse landscapes and historical landmarks linked to Gautam Buddha.
The expedition will cover seven states and travel aboard an Indian Navy ship from Chennai to Kankesanthurai in Jaffna district of Sri Lanka, from where it will traverse through the island nation to its capital Colombo.
Patil said Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena will welcome the riders at Kankesanthurai on the northern tip of the island while President Ranil Wickremesinghe will lead the conclusion ceremony of the expedition in Colombo on May 16.
Source: PTI
--Agencies
