CYCLE TOUR FOR CLEAN AIR BY VANLALLAWMZUALA VARTE 2024
In the backdrop of the Government of Nagaland’s Cleanliness Drive on the 25th of October 2024, Livingstone Foundation International made it all the more eventful by being the only school from Nagaland to welcome a very popular cyclist from Mizoram, Mr. Vanlallawmzuala Varte (LZ Varte) during his last leg of Cycling Tour after completing his nation-wide expedition across 28 States and 5 Union Territories. Mr. Varte began his cycling tour with a mission from Mizoram to create a national awareness on the importance of clean air in the country. The campaign has been dubbed as ‘Ride to Clean Air – All India Cycling Tour for Awareness Campaign on Clean and Green Sustainable Lifestyle’ under Mission Life and is sponsored by the Mizoram State Pollution Control Board, Government of Mizoram. In fulfilling his noble quest, he will be completing a total of approximately 17,000 Kms. Till now he has been on the tour for 9 months.
After an arousing welcome by the management, faculty, staff and students of LFI, in a brief felicitation and interaction programme held at the school campus, the Chairman of LFI, Dr. Andrew Ahoto Sema highlighted the immense motivation that Mr. Varte’s cycling expedition has given to the youngsters. He termed him as a ‘braveheart’ who had undertaken this perilous expedition away from his family and that too for such an important and noble cause for creating public awareness on environment and clean air. He encouraged the students to emulate from his example and help in the reduction of pollution which is one of the most important causes of environmental degradation. Later, he was felicitated by the Director of LFI, Mrs. Ani Yepthomi. Mr. Varte also planted a tree sapling in the school campus as a unique sign of etching his memorable achievement forever in the history of LFI. During his interaction with the gathering, Mr. Varte reflected on the unique diversity and varied geography of India which took him across some of the most difficult terrains and challenging locations during the tour which included the ardous and adventurous trip across the highest motorable road of India, Umling La, situated at an altitude of 19300 feet (5,799 m) and at a distance of around 300 Kms from Leh in Ladakh. He also stated about his determined effort to create an All India Record for cycling across 28 States and 5 Union Territories within the least possible duration. He further encouraged the students that with sheer determination and discipline there is nothing impossible and that in the future anyone from among them could also break the record that he was about to create.
