He always took safety precautions: Kin of cyclist hit by BMW

Banerjee ran a garment business in Delhi, and had moved to sector 49 in Gurgaon from Delhi over a decade ago. He is survived by his parents, wife and 20-year-old daughter.

“Earlier, he had an advertising business. After business slowed down during the pandemic, he started a thermal wear and garment manufacturing business… he was extremely passionate about cycling. For the past 15 years, he had been active in the cycling circuit and had cycled across tough terrain over long distances. He was a fitness enthusiast… we are still coming to terms with the loss,” said Vinayak.

To his friends in the cycling community in Delhi and Gurgaon, Banerjee was a mentor and a role model.

His friend, Shilpi Malik, recounted that he would always guide other cyclists in their group.

“I suffered an injury in an accident while cycling last year. Being one of the most experienced cyclists, he was very conscious about safety and would often tell other riders ‘Tum aage chalo, mein sambhal lunga’ (You proceed ahead, I will ensure safety). He was affable and shared inputs about cycling across long distances,” she said.

She added that his daily regimen would involve cycling for over 50-60 km in the morning before returning to his house and getting ready for work.