Jyoti Kumari starts cycling trial training

DARBHANGA: A 15-year-old girl, who cycled 1,200 km from Gurugram to Darbhanga in Bihar with her ailing father during the ongoing national lockdown, has started training at the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) .

Jyoti Kumar hit the national headlines after Ivanka Trump tweeted about her.

Kumari caught the attention of CFI chairman Onkar Singh, who extended an invitation to participate in trial next month as a precondition to clear her selection as a trainee under the aegis of the National Cycling Academy, New Delhi.

A native of Sirhulli village in Darbhanga, Kumari said on Tuesday that she started practising since Monday.

Kumari, who had earlier expressed hesitation about accepting the offer, asserted that she had no second thoughts about accepting the CFI offer anymore.

“I will participate in trial when they (CFI) call me and fix a date for the trial next month”, she said. Kumari claimed she rode a racing cycle (to practice for trial) gifted to her recently.

Meanwhile, state food and consumer protection department minister and Janta Dal United (JD-U) leader Madan Sahni paid a visit to Sirhulli village on Monday. He felicitated Kumari while promising her help on behalf of the state government.

However, he was criticised for violating the lockdown. Earlier, BJP MLA Sanjay Sarawai also presented her with gifts and a bicycle.

Kumari’s 14-day home quarantine period is not over as she had arrived in the village in the night of May 16.