About Me
My name is Akshay Rajeev Khandekar. I am born and brought up in Mumbai.
I learnt to cycle when I was in 8th standard ( back in 2002) and hardly rode for couple of months. One of the reasons are sheer laziness and another was the moody nature ( कंटाळा येणे). A few of my close friends know me are very much aware about this part of my nature.
It was my first bicycle – Hercules (didnt quite recollect the brand) but on the cycle Hercules was written that I remember. My Aai Baba bought it for me from their hard earned money but I didn’t care & realise it maybe because of age or it was utter carelessness. Before buying that I tried to ride my elder sister Gauri’s cycle but stopped riding it – again because of moodiness and it was the old cycle. After few weeks My Nana ( Aai’s father) Mr. Vasant Desai converted it into stationary bicycle /spinning bike. It was similar to the bike trainer with the hope of atleast now I will do cycling, But aghast I hardly use it. Few months later Aai sold it to our maid.
Days & months grew into years. It was a year 2014 and I already entered in the corporate rat race and had crossed silver Jubilee. Time flies they say and during these 12 years I didnt have any connection to cycle or didnt practice any other outdoor sports cautiously. My focus was more into partying bar hopping etc. I wanted to change that & wanted to start something with the fitness.
I used to watch Vh1 channel a lot. One of the video I watched countless times was Musician Enrique Iglesias – Bailando song. From that song one of the shot was at the beach where he along with his friends ride their bicycle. It’s a 4:31 minute song (see the video on 1:34 & 2:00 time slot to see the cycle). I thought to myself even I want to ride the bicycle. Basically I wanted to start something with the fitness & that time cycling came to my mind. So I told my folks I want to ride the bicycle. They said in the past in school I didn’t rode it why now at this age, but if you wanna ride go ahead & buy your own. I said ok & went with Baba in the cycle shop. Shopkeeper showcased me few cycles. One of them was Atlas घोडा सायकल – a standard traditional which is popular since many years. I thought to my self there is no chance I’m gonna purchase it, दूधवाला ( Milkman), people from village use it. What will people say if I use it, will they make fun of me et cetera, et cetera. Then he showcased me one red colour bicycle. I immediately liked it. It was Hamilton company’s cycle & decided to buy it. I bought it for 5K entry level model. It was not available on that day, but within few days it casein the shop. My father rode and brought it at home.
Now one the task was to re-learn how to ride it, as there was gap of a decade & Initially getting back balance was my goal. I used to rode in the building in the night, hiding from people, secretly hoping & wishing no one could see me riding it. I think for a week I used to ride in the building only then when I finally got the balance decided to ride on the roads.
Slowly I started going out near by locality & ride. Then started riding with friends and got introduced to their friends & so on. After few years ( 2 years to be precise) got the helmet thanks to my one of the office friend Sai Iyer. Year was 2016 I used to ride it for the workplace which was less than 2km one way. When I said to him it’s only 2 kms, he told me Akshay distance doesn’t matter it’s about safety. Do wear it. I couldn’t thank him enough because till date whenever I ride the cycle I wear it.
Slowly I started increase the distance from riding in the building to going on road, to many unfamiliar roads and I firmly believe thanks to my Folks support & by God’s grace I am able to do it.
& the Journey Continues ✨🙏 …..
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