The longest journeys,they say,are the ones that take you back home. For Dr Unni Karunakara,former International President of Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders,coming back to India after more than 25 years is an intensely personal journey. Karunakara is fulfilling his dream of cycling the length of India and combining it with his lifelong commitment to support the medical humanitarian work of MSF. The doctor stopped by in Chandigarh during his 5,000-kilometre bike tour across India,and reflected on living a dream which he hopes will make him see the entire country,spark conversations about health,meet people,listen to their thoughts on health and humanitarianism and share decades of his experiences with others. I finished my term a few weeks ago and now Im using this time to revisit my country and its people, says Karunakara,who has completed a three-year term with the Nobel Peace Prize winning MSF,an independent international medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict,epidemics,healthcare exclusions and natural disasters across the world. Karunakara holds an MBBS degree from Mangalore University and specialisation degrees from Yale and John Hopkins University. A chance meeting with a doctor in Brussels led him into joining the MSF. It changed my life, he says. The doctors journey,from Srinagar to Trivandrum,focuses on solidarity and interaction with people to understand how their lives have changed with the impact of healthcare on transitions. Getting away from the highway and cycling into the interiors,the doctor has planned pit stops in 10 states. Once there,he will meet people and capture the interactions on camera. Karunakara will be joined by various riders along the way,who will offer camaraderie and solidarity in support of MSF and will also visit medical colleges and screen documentaries. One of the documentaries that will be screened is Access to the Danger Zone,which takes a look at the challenges inherent in delivering humanitarian aid in conflict zones. I am not a very athletic person,but the idea of using your own power to move from place to place is very contemplative, says Karunakara.
