Indian doctor brothers finish Race Across America

The Mahajan brothers cycled 3000 miles to become the first Indian duo to successfully finish the gruelling Race Across America (RAAM) in less than 9 days.

Indian doctor brothers Dr. Hitendra Mahajan and Dr. Mahendra Mahajan, become the first Indian duo to complete Race Across America (RAAM) in 8 days, 14 hours and 55 minutes.

Hitendra, a 44-yr old anaesthesiologist and Mahendra, a 39-yr old dentist are from the Western Indian city of Nashik in Maharashtra.

The race was flagged off from Oceanside, California on the West Coast of US on June 20, 2015 and ended at Annapolis, Maryland on the Atlantic Coast after 4,800kms.

The duo had to toil through the heat of Mojave Desert, cold of high mountain passes in Colorado, strong gusts of winds in the Central US and temperature varying from 48 degrees Celsius to 8 degrees Celsius across the varied landscape of the US. They were supported by a crew named as “Team India: Vision for Tribals” who helped them with all the logistical, nutritional and navigational support. Vision for Tribals is a charity project under Kalpataru Foundation, a non-profit organization of doctors in Nashik city of Maharashtra, India.

“I am very happy about their achievement. They are the first Indians to do it. For every 100kms they have covered, Dr. Sharad Patil, the founder of Kalpataru Foundation, will do five cataract surgeries and one free corneal transplant for the tribal people. They will arrive in Mumbai tonight and a celebration is awaited, “Anjana Mahajan, wife of Dr. Hitendra Mahajan, told The Outdoor Journal over phone.

RAAM, started in 1982, is roughly 30% longer than Tour de France but it has to be completed in almost half the time. Indians, largely solo riders, never saw the finish line on time until the Mahajan brothers completed the Race Across America this year. The time limit for a team of two is 9 days whereas for the solo category, it is 12 days.

Image©: Hitendra Mahajan