But at my back I always hear
Times winged Charriot hurrying near:
-To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvel

For some people pace is the mission in life. Everything for them is measured out not in hours but in minutes and seconds.

Prakruthi Banwasi is one such soul…he doesn't believe in the concept of taking time on the way. An anchor with the Udaya TV, he is a versatile person, doing a host of activities at one time. When he is not compering, he is working on some articles or penning some books or working out at a gym, or driving out eve teasers from the roads of Bangalore…and when he is not doing any of these he is zipping across to far off destinations on his bike. Yes, bikes are his passion and he has managed to break the all India record for fastest travel on a bike from Bangalore to Mumbai. He covered the 1023 Kms journey in 11 hrs and 46 minutes on bike. Phew! That is some speed!

Not complacent with this achievement, this year too he set forth on another mission: Covering the entire state of Karnataka in four and half days. And if you are thinking that a man who does all these must be slogging all day and night, you are wrong. His daily routine would put any epicurean to shame. He gets up at 9 am or sometimes even at 10. He ventures out to meet the world only at 11am, till then he is lolling inside his den. By 2 pm he is back home, watching Friends and eating his lunch. Then it is time for afternoon siesta. Evenings are spent exercising, dancing or singing. It is only late at night that he begins to work on his book or articles. Well, then you ask the next probable question which has been tinkering your mind: How come you manage to do so many things within such a limited time? Pat comes the reply: Speed! "All my work is timed, I do not waste a single moment executing my meetings and appointments. For me travel time is very less as I just rip through."

Prakruthi, a National Law School graduate is a self-made man. Always determined to do something different and prove himself to the whole wide world, he has set for himself some definite goals. Not a person to fit in a regular 9 to 5 job, he has always tried to do something which would help him carve a special niche for himself. He founded Express English Classes in the 90s and also started a suburban newspaper. And now he is into compering and writing books apart from ripping across the roads to break some record. Next on his list of must dos is to go on a 30 day All India Trip on a bike. We caught him for a short interview before he ripped off to another destination.


What are the preparations that you have to make before you venture out?
Loads…I have to get the right equipments like knee guards, ankle guards, proper clothes etc. I have to make myself physically fit. Three months of preparation went into that Karnataka trip of mine. I worked out daily and reduced my weight. Then a fortnight before the journey day I started hogging to increase my fat content. Yes…it might sound crazy but if you have to sit astride on a bike for 12 hours at a stretch you need fat cells. Two days before the D-day I again limited my food intake particularly water.

Could you describe one particular day from your trip?
Well…I get up at 5 am, by 5.30 I am on my bike. By 8.30 am I would have completed 200 kms. Then I stop a while for a hearty breakfast. Then I again zip off. I drive up till 12.30 pm. Catch a few winks on the roadside. Get up and ride till lunch hour. Have lunch and again drive. I eat a lot of fatty stuff so that I don't run out of energy. I don't ride at night so 7 pm is winding up time. I check into a hotel. Freshen up and have a good dinner. And then start planning for the next day…

When you say "I simply rip off…"what speed do you have in mind?
Anything between 110 km/hr to 120 km/hr. I ride 100 km/hr on an average.

Which bike do you drive? Any special flying machine?
I drive a TVS Suzuki. But I can ride on any bike…that is the challenge.

You drive so fast even within the city limits…aren't you scared of accidents?
No…simply don't have an accident! Actually I understand the psychology of the traffic very well. I know exactly when a bus would take a U-turn, when the auto before me would abruptly stop, when the old lady standing on the other side of the road would suddenly decide to cross the road, when the dog sleeping on the pavement would get energetic and run across the road…So I take action before it's too late. Moreover, I believe that even if you meet with an accident you should know how to take the impact. There is always a split second before you crash, you have to think in that time and fall in such a way that your head is saved.

We were about to ask him another question, but he had started playing with his keys and eyeing his watch…enough hints for us to wind up…

So next time you see somebody ripping past you on a bike as you slowly inch forward on your two wheeler in the snail paced traffic on MG Road…you know who is it…why? Prakruthi of course!

Shravanti Choudhuri

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