Hyderabad: Take small steps every day and one day you will be there. Proving this unknown adage, a 54-year-old Hyderabadi and a former CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) the officer will attempt to set a world record by walking 5 lakh steps this week. K Ravi Kumar already created a record in the India book of records by walking over one lakh steps in 24 hours.
Kumar, who retired as a sub-inspector, has been zealously stepping forward on foot for years, and in so doing, he has achieved quite a great feat. And he is now raring to set a world record in long-distance walking.
While traveling in a train, an Army officer commented that he was overweight, despite being in the CRPF. “That hurt and changed my life,” Kumar said.
Why walking? “Initially, I started jogging, but I did not like it and starting brisk walking. Walking also helps me explore many places,” he said.
For the past 26 years, he has been walking extensively in different climatic conditions and in difficult terrains. “In 2010, for the first time, I walked to Chilkur Balaji temple from my residence in Tarnaka in 11 hours. Later, I walked to Yadadri in 14 hours, and Keesargutta in 12 hours,” the former CRPF officer said.
Kumar also trekked in Jammu & Kashmir, Ooty, and Kandala Hills. He went to Amarnath once, Mata Vaishnavi Devi temple 8 times, Tirumala 25 times since 2014 after retirement.
Now, Ravi is busy training to break the existing national record of 1,00,128 steps in a day, created by Sushant (28).
“In the beginning, I walked for one hour but now I can walk continuously for more than 15 hours. In December 2017, I walked more than 900 km. On September 17, I walked 80,000 steps in 15 hours. At present at I can cover an average of 24,000 steps which is more than 4 hours of hard work,” he says.
Ravi has a balanced diet, sleeps just for four hours, and is up by 5:30 am.
Till now Ravi Kumar had walked a total of four lakh steps. He has not been using any vehicle for two years and relied on public transport. “I have decided to break the world record by walking 5 lakh steps till 15 January 2021,” says Kumar.
Ravi Kumar is currently training for November 8, when he attempts to walk one lakh steps and dedicate it to Actor Sonu Sood and his family.
Ravi will attempt to walk another one lakh steps on November 22 and dedicate it to Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan and famous playback singer, Lata Mangeshkar.