# Teachers in Pithoragarh Pool Funds to Teach Mountain Schoolgirls Cycling and Ease Difficult Commutes

> At Bhuligaon Inter College in Uttarakhand's Gangolihat, in-charge principal Anand Mehra and fellow teachers bought bicycles to train girl students an hour before classes begin.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Uttarakhand · **Published:** 2026-10-11 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/uttarakhand/uttarakhand-ke-gangolihat-men-chhatraon-ke-lie-anuthi-muhima-shikshakon-ne-kharidi-saikilen-taki-asana-ho-sake-parhai-ka-saphara-46508 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Pithoragarh, Gangolihat, Uttarakhand, Girl Child Education, Cycling Training, Anand Mehra, Bhuligaon Inter College

Daily commutes to educational institutions in rugged Himalayan terrains often demand walking several kilometres across challenging mountain trails. To address this demanding journey and promote self-reliance among female students, Bhuligaon Inter College in the Gangolihat tehsil of Pithoragarh district has introduced a targeted training initiative. Anand Mehra, the in-charge principal of the institution, along with other teachers, pooled personal funds to purchase four bicycles and began coaching girl students in cycling to ease their everyday travel.

## How an English Lesson Sparked the Initiative
The concept took shape while Anand Mehra was teaching an English class to eleventh-grade students. During the session, he reflected on practical ways to bring meaningful changes to the lives of girls growing up in remote hilly areas. While horse riding was briefly considered as an initial option, cycling was soon identified as far more useful and sustainable for daily mobility. Mehra pointed out that mastering such physical skills tends to become increasingly challenging with advancing age, making school years the ideal time to learn. He noted that developing balance and road confidence early on will naturally make it easier for these students to learn riding two-wheelers such as scooties or motorcycles in the future, providing a long-term practical benefit.

## Training Commences an Hour Before Morning Classes
To prevent any disruption to the core academic curriculum, students arrive at the school grounds approximately one hour before formal classes begin each morning. During this dedicated hour, faculty members personally guide the learners through balance, pedalling, and steering controls. An encouraging dimension of this program is that senior students who have already mastered cycling actively step forward to assist their juniors. This peer mentoring structure has substantially bolstered confidence among the learners while nurturing mutual trust and teamwork within the student body.

## Structured Roster Across Six School Houses
To ensure that every enrolled female student gets an equitable turn to practice, the school established a structured rotation based on its six administrative houses. Each house receives allotted practice intervals, allowing the four bicycles to be utilized systematically without causing overcrowding or long waiting times. Teachers supervise the daily drills while experienced student riders assist alongside, creating a continuous learning cycle designed to make every young girl proficient and confident on wheels.

## What this means for you
This initiative directly improves daily mobility for mountain students while fostering long-term confidence and physical independence.

- **In Uttarakhand:** Schoolgirls from remote mountainous hamlets can significantly reduce the strain of walking long distances to attend classes. Developing cycling skills also serves as a crucial foundation for preventing dropout rates linked to tough travel conditions.
- **Impact on Parents:** Families in the region receive an avenue for their daughters to gain practical transport skills without incurring any additional expenditure. It offers parents peace of mind regarding their daughters' growing independence and readiness for travel.
- **Daily Student Routine:** Arriving an hour prior to classes encourages consistent physical exercise and constructive morning routines. Furthermore, peer-to-peer mentoring gives senior students valuable leadership and coaching experience.
- **Future Commuting Ease:** Mastering two-wheeler balance at a young age prepares students to adapt seamlessly to scooties and motorcycles later in life. This will facilitate independent travel when pursuing college degrees or employment opportunities across distant areas.

## Why this happened
The program emerged as a direct response to the exhausting daily treks mountain students endure to reach their classrooms each day. Faculty members sought a pragmatic, sustainable intervention that would lighten this commuting burden while equipping girls with durable life skills.

- **Strenuous Mountain Commutes:** In hilly regions lacking frequent public transit, students are often forced to walk several kilometres daily across steep trails. Acquiring cycling proficiency presents an effective means to streamline that travel in the years ahead.
- **Classroom Inspiration:** While conducting an eleventh-grade English lesson, the in-charge principal realized the pressing need for life-skill interventions tailored to local girls. Evaluating real-world feasibility led him to discard an early thought of horse riding in favor of accessible cycling.
- **Self-Funded Faculty Collaboration:** Rather than waiting for dedicated external grants, the principal and staff members pooled their own money to procure four bicycles. This direct financial contribution allowed the practical training to begin immediately on the school grounds.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Where is this bicycle training program taking place?
The training is being conducted at Bhuligaon Inter College in Gangolihat tehsil of Pithoragarh district.

### 2. Who initiated the bicycle training program for students?
The in-charge principal of the college, Anand Mehra, started the initiative with the support of fellow teachers.

### 3. How were the bicycles arranged for the students?
Anand Mehra and other teachers pooled their personal finances to purchase four bicycles for the school.

### 4. At what time does the cycling training take place?
Students arrive at the school approximately one hour before regular morning classes commence to receive coaching.

### 5. When did the principal first think of this idea?
The concept occurred to Anand Mehra while he was teaching an English lesson to class 11 students.

### 6. How does the school ensure every student gets a chance to learn?
The training schedule is rotated across the school's six houses so that every girl receives regular turns.

## Inspiration & Lessons
This story exemplifies how empathetic leadership and dedicated educators can overcome regional resource limitations to transform young lives.

- **Take Ownership:** Meaningful change begins by taking immediate personal initiative rather than waiting endlessly for external support or perfect conditions.
- **Value Practical Independence:** Complementing academic instruction with essential functional life skills substantially elevates student confidence.
- **Foster Peer Mentorship:** Empowering proficient learners to train junior peers builds collective strength, teamwork, and institutional community spirit.

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