New Delhi: Until 2017, Riyaz, 16, had never even seen a racing bicycle. Three years later, his obvious potential in the sport has earned him special recognition from the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
President Ram Nath Kovind Friday gifted a racing bicycle to Riyaz, a Ghaziabad resident who only goes by his first name, after coming across a news report about his passion for the sport and the arduous efforts he was making to excel in it.
The son of a small-time cook, Riyaz juggles his studies with a part-time job at a Ghaziabad eatery. Over the last three years, he has emerged as a force to be reckoned with on the cycling circuit, acing several races, including those on the national level.
“I am elated after meeting the President, who gifted me this bicycle a day before Eid. This is my Eidi,” Riyaz told ThePrint in a telephonic interview.
“It is a dream come true for me. This has motivated me to do even better, and I am grateful to my coaches Ajay Arya, Pramod Sharma and other teachers for the support,” Riyaz said.
A native of Bihar’s Madhubani district, Riyaz’s father is a cook who worked at small dhabas and eateries in Delhi until the Covid lockdown forced him to return home. His mother lives in his native village with Riyaz’s four siblings.
“Due to the lockdown, my father went back home. He wanted to take me with him but I chose not to go because that would have affected my training,” said Riyaz, a student of Class 9 at Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya, Delhi, who regularly trains at the capital’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
Also Read: Sports Ministry to remove Rs 2 lakh salary cap for Indian coaches for better results
An ‘accidental’ passion
Riyaz makes his living washing dishes at an eatery in Ghaziabad, where he lives in a Rs 2,500/month rented room. He came to the President’s notice after a 14 July report in the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran detailed his struggle. He was saving money from his pay for professional coaching in cycling, the report said, adding that he had won bronze at the Delhi State Cycling Championship 2020 this January. As he gifted him the bicycle, President Kovind wished Riyaz the best and said he hopes he becomes an international champion.
For all his talent, however, it was a pure accident that led Riyaz towards cycle racing.
“I was always interested in sports. I joined Delhi’s Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in 2016 and started participating in different sports events. I also won three gold medals at the zonal level in that year — in the 400-metre race, long jump and high jump, and was declared the best athlete,” he said.
“In 2017, there was a cycling event in Guwahati and my coach, Ajay sir, asked me if I wanted to join the team as there were fewer participants than required, and I agreed,” Riyaz added.
He agreed, but the thought of competing against around 60 contestants scared him. “But coach sir motivated me and I secured the fifth position in that race,” he said, adding that he borrowed someone’s cycle for the race.
A long struggle
Arya speaks about his protege’s struggle in glowing terms. “He used to work until late, sometimes till around midnight. He then used to wake up at 4am to go for training,” said Arya.
According to the coach, Riyaz initially began his training on a regular bicycle. “The racing bicycle is very expensive. No good bicycle comes for less than Rs 50,000,” added Riyaz. Having practised on a borrowed cycle so far, Riyaz said he is happy that he now owns one.
Asked how his parents reacted, he said he has not had a chance to speak to them. “I told them yesterday that I was being called to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. But I did not get to speak with them after getting the bicycle.”
Also Read: Rahul Dravid’s 5-point wishlist to make sports available for every Indian
Four siblings.