Actress Lakshmi Manchu will cycle 100 kilometers on February 28 to raise funds for differently-abled people and their ambition to pursue different forms of sports. The actress took to her Instagram and shared a video of her cycling and wrote, "The smell of fresh air and the sound of wind, was just astonishing as I rode 35 KMS with @adityamehtafoundation! I will be bicycling 100kms!! Yes 100 kms to raise funds for the para-athletes who'll be trained at the infinity para sports academy and rehab center. 100KMS HERE I COME!"
Talking to IANS, Lakshmi said: "I have been wanting to ride 100 kilometres as a dream, as something that I wanted to do."
The actress shares that her determination to be a part of the cause came after she went to the Maldives on a holiday.
"After going to Maldives I understood how we have taken for granted about everything in our lives. It was so refreshing to be on an island with people around you with no masks. It dawned on me that how we have taken even breathing for granted and now we have to breath our own breath through these masks," Lakshmi said.
She continued: "My heart again went out to these people, who have a limb or something missing from their lives because of they weren't born like this, they had an accident or they were in the front lines saving our country and they willingly gave up a part of their body for the betterment of us or an accident took it away."
She went on to say: "That gave me the motivation to really commit to 100 kms because the pandemic has really hurt organisations who are raising funds and I thought what better way to create awareness."
"That really motivated me and that's what motivates me to wake up every morning so it's not like my feet are hurting today, my legs are hurting today and I don't want to ride, there is a bigger purpose and I have started my training now. It's been five days. Today I did 40 kms, I'm hoping that before the big event I'm able to at least push 70 easily. So on day of the ride I can do 100 kms with ease," she added.
The actress will be cycling for the Aditya Mehta Foundation, with whom she has been associated with for a while.