Bihar: 'Bicycle girl' Jyoti Kumai becomes brand ambassador for anti-drug abuse programme

The Bihar government has chosenbicycle girl Jyoti Kumari, who had pedalled 1,200 km fromGurugram to Darbhanga taking her injured father on the rearcarrier during the nationwide lockdown, as the BrandAmbassador for an anti-drug abuse programme, an official said.The state government has selected the 15-year-oldreal life hero to sharpen its campaign against the use ofnarcotic drugs and intoxicants by youths, Dayanidhan Pandey,Director, Social Security Directorate, told PTI on Saturday.We could not have got any better choice than the girlwho displayed exemplary courage to fight the adversity.

The Bihar government has chosen''bicycle girl'' Jyoti Kumari, who had pedalled 1,200 km fromGurugram to Darbhanga taking her injured father on the rearcarrier during the nationwide lockdown, as the BrandAmbassador for an anti-drug abuse programme, an official said.

The state government has selected the 15-year-old''real life hero'' to sharpen its campaign against the use ofnarcotic drugs and intoxicants by youths, Dayanidhan Pandey,Director, Social Security Directorate, told PTI on Saturday.

''We could not have got any better choice than the girlwho displayed exemplary courage to fight the adversity. Youthsare falling prey to drugs and she will inspire them againstthe practice,'' he said.

The official visited the girl's village in Darbhangaon Friday to appoint her as the brand ambassador of theprogramme and also gave a cheque of Rs 50,000 to her.

Kumari will be propagating the central government'sNational Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for2018-2025 in Bihar. The programme formulated by the Ministryof Social Justice and Empowerment aims at reduction of adverseconsequences of drug abuse through a multi-pronged strategy.

''She will visit schools and colleges across the stateto make youths aware of the ill effects of drugs and otherforms of intoxicants,'' Pandey said.

The young girl expressed happiness after beingselected for the role.

Stranded at Gurugram in Haryana due to lockdown,Kumari asked her father to sit on the rear carrier of hercycle and took him to his native place in Bihar, covering1,200 km in seven days in May last year.

It had drawn praise from US President Donald Trump'sdaughter and senior White House adviser Ivanka Trump, who hadtermed it as a ''beautiful feat of endurance and love''.

The Cycling Federation of India had invited her for atrial, but she declined the offer saying she wished to pursuestudies.