Moving Hearts and Minds: 7th Annual BP MS-150 Bike Ride

Nakul Rao (front), From left: Tayo-Femi, Tej Kabra, Satish Paruchuri (hidden), Srini Gogineni, Srini Kamana, Stuti Schroff, Rupendra Radia, Vishal Sastri, Ramana Anantha, Arun Rao, Srikar Ananatha, Rahul Popat, Kotesh Rao, Gopinath Sivasubramanian, Saku Gopinath, Praful Bora, Sharad Ravishankar (hidden), Ajay Vishwanath, Yash Bora, Siddhanth Ahuja, Swamy Yeleswarapu, Akhilesh Yeleswarapu and Raghu Vikram (who is missing since he started from Tully Stadium)

Nakul Rao (front), From left: Tayo-Femi, Tej Kabra, Satish Paruchuri (hidden), Srini Gogineni, Srini Kamana, Stuti Schroff, Rupendra Radia, Vishal Sastri, Ramana Anantha, Arun Rao, Srikar Ananatha, Rahul Popat, Kotesh Rao, Gopinath Sivasubramanian, Saku Gopinath, Praful Bora, Sharad Ravishankar (hidden), Ajay Vishwanath, Yash Bora, Siddhanth Ahuja, Swamy Yeleswarapu, Akhilesh Yeleswarapu and Raghu Vikram (who is missing since he started from Tully Stadium)

HOUSTON: For the seventh year in a row, Indian youth from all over the Houston area bicycled over 150 miles from Houston to Austin as part of the annual two-day bike ride event called the BP MS-150, to raise awareness and money for research to hasten the cure for Multiple Sclerosis.  The youth were part of the “Houston Desis” cycling team whose motto “Moving hearts and minds” has been instilled into each of the rider’s psyche. The team was sponsored principally by the Methodist Hospital’s Lung Transplant Center which has graciously obliged the team’s commitment, three years in a row, for their excellent service to the community. The team was also sponsored by, Coastal Cardiology, Pearland Heart Institute, Career Uniforms, Geotest Engineering Inc, Clear Lake Dental Care, Hurricane Glass, Clear Lake Infectious Diseases, SriTech Inc, Kenall Inc. and Mayuri Restaurant.

The team’s journey began in Katy in the early hours on April 20 and ended in Austin on the afternoon of April 21.  They were among 11,000 cyclists from all over the US who took part in the largest event of its kind in the world which raised almost $18 million dollars for its cause.

As 14-year old second-time rider Arun Rao  said,  “Riding for a cause that is important and can help save someone’s life is one of the greatest feelings in the world. As you ride through the streets of Austin with cheers and applause surrounding you, you can’t help but smile at the fact that what you have done is just special. Riding from Houston to Austin is no easy feat. Training and preparing for an event like this takes months of practice, focus and dedication. I believe everybody on this Houston Desis Team has exemplified these traits.”

The returning teen riders included  Srikar Anantha, Rahul Popat and Nakul Rao.  Other teenagers were first time riders including  Akhilesh Yeleswarapu, Yash Bora, Saku Gopinath,  Sharad Ravishankar, and Siddhanth Ahuja, all of whom did amazingly well, thanks to the strong training and support from their parents and the team captains.

The Houston Desis team has a great history of organizing a very safe and fun environment for both new and returning riders to take part in this event.  The highlight of the team is the wonderful camaraderie and sense of family that it engenders in its team members in preparing for the event especially at the overnight stop in La Grange.

It was Rahul Popat’s 2nd MS 150  ride. “On the first day I biked 86 miles from Houston to La Grange. The ride from Houston to Bellville was easy and fun. We stopped at Bellville for lunch and got to see all the different bikes and uniforms. I clearly felt the first 20 miles after lunch were difficult but soon after, adrenaline kept pushing me to the finish line in La Grange. At the tent, my friends and family and volunteers greeted me. We had great Indian food and hot Masala Dosas made for us by volunteers. The next morning, we woke up by 5 to eat some delicious hot pancakes. Once again, we started off early and headed for the hilly ride from La Grange to Austin.”

Safety is the most important theme stressed for the riders in the MS-150 and there were some near-misses as riders were stopped several times due to accidents, stoppages by cops and EMS.

Srikar Anantha,  just 13 years old and a second year veteran, showed tremendous improvement over the past year.  In stated,  “MS150 is an awesome experience. It makes you push yourself to the limit. Even though it was my second year riding, I felt some jitters. The training was painful. My dad helped me by enrolling me in spin classes. Soon, I could ride 40 miles with great ease. We started in Katy at a slow pace but soon I decided to set my own pace line. I had left the team and set off at  around 22 miles per hour and soon I was at the lunch stop before 10 am. I arrived in La Grange around 1:40 pm. The second day we all left La Grange at a fast pace and before I knew I was in Bastrop. As me and Dad approached the finish line a little after noon time amongst a loud crowd,  I knew that my effort had not gone to waste.”

The captain of the team, Ramana Anantha, said that he was honored to participate in his 5th MS-150. The MS-150 event has once again provided the opportunity for families and friends to unite together to participate in an exhilarating and uplifting event.

To be part of Houston Desis, contact Srini Kamana at skamanawho@gmail.com or Swamy Yeles at swamy.yeles@gmail.com