Sasanka Talukdar edited:

When you support a noble cause, it is never a problem to go that extra mile, whether on foot or on pedals. Khanin Roy, Jogesh Deka, and Kankana Medhi embarked on an epic 500-km cycle tour to spread awareness about drug abuse and depression.

The cyclathon began at Gita Satra in Pathsala, Assam on January 14, 2022, and culminated at Madhupur Satra in Cooch Behar, West Bengal on January 17, 2022.

The 500-km arduous journey was organised under the aegis of Pathsala’s Brain and Figure.

“Depression is becoming a leading cause of suicide in the world. These have forced people to even kill themselves. Many students, actors, and farmers commit suicide as a result of depression during COVID-19 . Some people today stay away from physical activities and immerse themselves in virtual worlds. They must be encouraged to take up activities like cycling, walking, swimming and adventure sports so that they remain physically fit and active, “said Khanin Roy while interacting with the media.

“Around 35 million people worldwide suffer from drug use disorders while only one in seven people receives treatment,” he added.

Nowadays, drug addiction has become a serious concern among youths. They need to control it by mediation or exercise, “he emphasized.

This was not the first time Roy had undertaken such a journey in support of a noble cause.

Earlier in 2020, Khanin Roy walked 900 km from Sadiya to Dhubri, spreading the same message. This is the seventh time that he has undertaken such a journey.

Roy is also a kickboxing champion. Apart from several medals in his kitty, Roy was also adjudged “Best Fighter” in the northeast in 1999. He has also swum across the Brahmaputra.

Throughout the entire course of the journey, the team received warm responses from people from both Assam and West Bengal.

Apart from felicitations, they were also offered food and overnight stay options for free. Those who came into contact with them appreciated their effort and hoped that they would succeed in their mission.

“We hope youths facing issues with drug abuse and depression would understand our mission,” Roy concluded.

As per report by ( World Health Organisation ) WHO, Every year 703000 people take their own life and there are many more people who attempt suicide. Every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and entire countries and has long-lasting effects on the people left behind. Suicide occurs throughout the lifespan and was the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29 year-olds globally in 2019.

Suicide does not just occur in high-income countries, but is a global phenomenon in all regions of the world. In fact, over 77% of global suicides occurred in low- and middle-income countries in 2019.

Suicide is a serious public health problem; however, suicides are preventable with timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions. For national responses to be effective, a comprehensive multisectoral suicide prevention strategy is needed.

India recorded 153,052 suicides – an average of 418 daily – in 2020, according to the latest central government data.

The 2020 figures were more in comparison to 2019 when 139,123 suicides were recorded in the country, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) stated in an annual report.

Suicide rate (per lakh population) also increased from 10.4 in 2019 to 11.3 last year, the NCRB, which functions under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated.

According to the report, ‘family problems’ (33.6 per cent), ‘marriage-related problems’ (5 per cent) and ‘illness’ (18 per cent) together accounted for 56.7 per cent of total suicides in the country during 2020, it showed.

The overall male to female ratio of suicide victims was 70.9 to 29.1, the report stated.

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depression, awareness on drug abuse and depression