Madhya Pradesh: On 1 November 2022, 25-year-old Asha Malviya took an oath to spread awareness regarding women’s safety and empowerment. She started on her heroic journey of cycling through 28 states of the country to create awareness and raise a sense of responsibility in the citizens of the country. She concluded her journey on 15 August 2023. 

Family background

Asha Malviya comes from a small village of Nataram in Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh. Her father passed away when she was only 3 years old. Her mother raised three daughters by working in the fields as a labourer. 

Asha’s mother’s daily wages were not enough, but she somehow managed to send all her kids to school. Asha has a post-graduation degree in physical education while her sisters are educated and married. 

Struggles of poverty

Asha’s mother’s temporary labour work always remained uncertain. Sometimes, for weeks she would not have any work and would struggle to feed her daughters. Asha’s school was six kilometres away from her home, and she used to cover that distance on foot. 

Studying while working

When Asha completed her schooling, she decided to support her mother financially and relieve her of distress. She found herself a job in a car showroom. Along with that she did her bachelors in physical education. 

Asha was sincere and made her family proud of herself when she participated in 3 national games in athletics. 

Making a record

Asha’s small achievements make her a big champion. Her village celebrated her accomplishment when she hoisted the Indian flag on 19,500-feet high snowy hills of ‘Tenzing Khan Peak’ in Sikkim. She holds a record under her name in the OMG Book of records for being the first woman to hoist a flag at Tenzing Khan Peak. 

Cycle tour

Asha dreams of creating a just society where girls can feel safe and empowered. Her true inspiration comes from her mother who has taught her many life lessons; one of them being that she must become independent and responsible to take care of people around her. 

To contribute her part, she started an awareness tour on her bicycle. She is concerned about her society on so many levels. She vowed to plant one lakh saplings on her journey to 28 states and made it happen. She wishes to make people environmentally and socially conscious.