National Cycling Championship: Dinesh Kumar from Indian Air Force Wins!

Pune:
The Pune to Baramati National and State-Level Cycle Race, jointly organized by the Pune District Education Association (PDEA), the Cycling Federation of India, and the Cycling Association of Maharashtra, was held to commemorate the birthday of PDEA President and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The prize distribution ceremony took place at the G.D. Madgulkar Auditorium in Baramati in the presence of Maharashtra Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation Makrand Abba Patil, Minister for Sports, Youth Welfare, Minority Development and Waqf Dattatray Bharne, and Dr. Sanjeev Sonawane, Vice-Chancellor of Yashwantrao Chavan Open University.

Dinesh Kumar from the Indian Air Force emerged as the winner of this grand event.

The event began with an introductory speech by PDEA Honorary Secretary Adv. Sandeep Kadam, who outlined the organization’s contributions to sports and its overall growth, along with the significance of national and state-level cycling championships.

Prominent attendees included Dr. Manohar Chaskar, Vice-Chancellor of Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Maninder Singh, Secretary of the Cycling Federation of India, IAS officer Vijay Singh Deshmukh, District Sports Officer Jagannath Lakde, NCP District President Pradeep Gardkar, Baramati Taluka President Rajvardhan Shinde, NCP City President Jay Patil, Chairman of Someshwar Sugar Factory Purushottam Jagtap, Chairman of Chhatrapati Sugar Factory Prithviraj Jachak, NCP Taluka President Sambhaji Holkar, Chairman of Baramati Cooperative Bank Sachin Satav, Vice Chairman of Malegaon Sugar Factory Sangeeta Kokare, Chairman of Malegaon Sugar Factory Balasaheb Taware, Chairman of Baramati Purchase-Sale Society Adv. Ravindra Mane, Nilesh Tilekar, Anil Kate, Shivajirao Kale, Kailas Gawade, Sunil Bhosale, and Sachin Sapkal.

Minister Makrand Patil stated that Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has transformed the Baramati region through social, educational, and agricultural development. The current era gives importance to sports, which builds resilience among youth. He praised the PDEA for its excellent organization of the cycling event, which provides a valuable platform for athletes, and extended his best wishes to Ajit Pawar for becoming the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in the future.

“Only Ajit Dada Can Bring Real Development” – Dattatray Bharne
Minister Dattatray Bharne highlighted how organizing such events also creates environmental awareness. Under Ajit Pawar’s visionary leadership, PDEA is progressing rapidly. He credited Pawar’s distinctive working style—“He’ll draw water wherever he stomps”—for the region’s transformation and extended birthday wishes.

Public Enthusiasm and Musical Fest
Throughout the cycling route, large numbers of citizens and students gathered on either side of the road, holding placards with awareness messages and cheering the participants. At the G.D. Madgulkar Hall, a musical event titled “Geeton Ka Safar”, presented by Jitendra Bhuruk, entertained the audience with Marathi and Hindi songs. Students from Malsakant School performed a Ganesh Vandana through yoga.

The event was conducted under the guidance of PDEA Vice President Rajendra Ghadge, Honorary Secretary Adv. Sandeep Kadam, Treasurer Adv. Mohanrao Deshmukh, and Joint Secretary L.M. Pawar, with Sanjay Sathe from the Cycling Association. Principals, headmasters, teachers, non-teaching staff, and students of PDEA’s schools and colleges contributed to the event’s success. Vidya Pratishthan, Baramati and Environmental Forum of India supported the event. Anchoring was done by Prof. Nitin Lagad and Prof. Sandhyarani Gawade, with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Nitin Ghorpade.

Race Results (Distance & Time in brackets):

King of the Ghat (Dive Ghat)

• National Level: Manav Sarda, Rajasthan (00:08:06)

• State Level: Siddhesh Ajit Patil, Kolhapur (00:08:32)

1) Pune to Baramati – Men – National Level (122 km)

• 1st: Dinesh Kumar, Air Force (2:29:54) – Late Pratap Shankar Jadhav Trophy

• 2nd: Surya Ramesh Thathu, Maharashtra (2:31:33)

• 3rd: Uday Guled, Karnataka (2:35:58)

2) Pune to Baramati – Men – State Level (122 km)

• 1st: Tamboli Aman Rajahmad, Sangli (2:36:20)

• 2nd: Nadaf Nihal Musa, Sangli (2:37:49)

• 3rd: Chopade Hanuman Yashwant, Beed (2:40:27)

3) Saswad to Baramati – Open MTB (Men) – State Level (85 km)

• 1st: Shaikh Khuddus, Pune (2:03:59)

• 2nd: Sonawane Yogesh Namdev, Nashik (2:10:26)

• 3rd: Maral Aryan Sanjay, Pune (2:10:33)

4) Malegaon to Baramati – Women – National Level (15 km)

• 1st: Ganga Dandin, Karnataka (22:26.74)

• 2nd: Pooja Baban Danole, Maharashtra (22:26.75)

• 3rd: Shravani Parit, Maharashtra (22:26.76)

5) Saswad to Baramati – Police/State Govt Employees – Men – State Level (85 km)

• 1st: Shivam Kharat, Sambhajinagar (2:10:20)

• 2nd: Amol Kshirsagar, Sangli (2:30:02)

• 3rd: Prasad Alekar, Ratnagiri (2:31:12)

6) Malegaon to Baramati – Police/State Govt Employees – Women – State Level (15 km)

• 1st: Siddhi Manohar Wafelkar (00:24:10)

• 2nd: Rupali Girmkar (00:24:10)