Maj Gen Somnath Jha (retd), who is cycling across the country to pay tribute to martyrs, in Chandimandir on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

With pix

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 9

Taking 42,000 minutes to cover 12,000 km on a bicycle is an indomitable way to pay tribute to fallen comrade-in-arms. This is just what Maj Gen Somnath Jha, an officer who hung up his boots a little over six months ago, is doing.He pedalled into Chandimandir Military Station today towards the fag end of his expedition, having covered 11,500 km across 26 states over the past 185 days. After laying a wreath at the Veer Smriti war memorial, he interacted with officers, troops and their families.Maj Gen Jha was commissioned into the 8th Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry and he superannuated on September 30, 2016, from Ambala. He had graduated from the Government College for Men, Chandigarh, in 1978 and was part of the Panjab University’s cricket and swimming teams.On October 19, just 18 days into his retirement, he embarked on his mission from Ambala to pay homage to the martyred soldiers of the country since Independence, which number close to 21,000. He has given himself the mandate of cycling two minutes for each fallen soldier.Another objective the veteran general, a third generation soldier, has laid down for himself, is to ride through all 29 states of the nation, since the fallen heroes come from every corner of the country. His expedition will culminate in New Delhi, by which time he would have been on the saddle for over 200 days.He is being supported in this endeavour by his wife, Chitra Jha, who is a life skills coach and author of several motivational books. She is accompanying him all through the journey, taking care of administration and logistics.3rd-gen soldier rode through all statesAnother objective the veteran general, a third generation soldier, has laid down for himself, is to ride through all 29 states of the nation, since the fallen heroes come from every corner of the country. His expedition will culminate in New Delhi, by which time he would have been on the saddle for over 200 days.