Professor pedals to raise climate change awareness

CHENNAI: Jayant Mahajan, an associate professor at Christ University in Pune, has been teaching business administration for several years. He wanted to travel the country, not like a regular tourist, but as an explorer. Along the way, he aimed to raise awareness about climate change, a pressing topic of discussion. Rather than preparing an elaborate travel itinerary, the professor opted for a flexible approach, allowing his plans to evolve week by week.

“I started my journey on January 23 from Nadabet, near the Indo-Pak border in Gujarat. I am cycling to promote the message of changing our habits before climate change worsens. As individuals, we need to make a lot of changes for our environment. It’s already showing signs of change, but I want to stay positive and contribute my part,” says Jayant, who is in Chennai at present.

He has cycled across the borders of Gujarat, Maharashtra’s coast, the Konkan belt, Goa, Karnataka’s coastal area, Kerala’s coastal belt, Kanniyakumari, Thoothukodi, Rameswaram, Puducherry, and is currently in Chennai. “I intend to cover 20,000 kilometres along the country’s borders as part of this journey. As of now, I have completed close to 4,000 kilometres. I will cycle towards Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, the north east states, Uttarakhand, Kashmir, Himachal, Punjab, and Rajasthan. I plan to conclude the journey at the same point where I started, next year (2025) on the same day (January 23),” he adds

During his journey, the professor is engaging with schools, colleges, and communities to discuss climate change and its potential impacts. “I will be speaking to students at IIT Madras and MGR University. I’m not just starting a dialogue about climate change; I’m also learning from people and understanding their perspectives. Climate change is a crucial topic. Many people are aware of it but hesitate to step out of their comfort zone. Some are unaware altogether. Others are already involved in awareness efforts, but the results aren’t always encouraging. I’m doing my part by contributing to raising awareness,” concludes Jayant, who has taken a year-long sabbatical leave.