- Title: Woman biker returns home after riding solo across India on anti-suicide campaign
- Date: 13th June 2016
- Summary: HYDERABAD, INDIA (JUNE 12, 2016) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF SANA IQBAL RIDING MOTORBIKE IQBAL STOPPING HER BIKE AND BEING GREETED SIGN READING (English): "SOLO RIDE ACROSS INDIA BY A WOMAN ON BULLET TO RAISE AWARENESS AGAINST SUICIDE & DEPRESSION" VARIOUS OF IQBAL MEETING HER FAMILY AND SON PEOPLE CHEERING FOR IQBAL (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAMPAIGNER AND BIKER, SANA IQBAL, SAYING: "It's a wonderful feeling, and I have covered 38,000 kilometers [approximately 23,612 miles] in India, all the states and union territories. So it's a fantastic experience. Wherever I went, I met a lot of people who were very helpful, who really wanted to, you know, do something for the betterment of the society. I mean, I just came across a lot of positivity wherever I went." IQBAL WEARING BIKER JACKET IQBAL SITTING WITH HER MOTHER (SOUNDBITE) (English and Hindi) CAMPAIGNER AND BIKER, SANA IQBAL, SAYING: "There are two options: one is, we discuss an issue but don't do anything constructive, only keep pointing out the negatives. The other option is when people choose to correct the wrongs. So that's exactly what I thought. I love riding. I was interested in it. I thought, if I ride and someone is benefitting because of it, then why not." IQBAL SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS IQBAL SIGNING A MAN'S ARM
- Embargoed: 27th June 2016 15:11
- Keywords: Sana Iqbal anti-suicide campaign suicide motorbike India
- Location: HYDERABAD, INDIA
- City: HYDERABAD, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Human Interest / Brights / Odd News,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0014M2ZXW9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3 MATERIAL
A woman biker, who embarked on a suicide awareness campaign by riding solo across India, returned to her hometown in southern Telangana state on Sunday (June 12) after what she called a successful mission.
Sana Iqbal, from provincial capital Hyderabad, started on a solo countrywide ride on November 23 last year from western Goa state. After having suffered from depression herself, she wanted to encourage others to never give up on life.
As people cheered for the young mother, she recounted the positivity she encountered during her journey.
"It's a wonderful feeling, and I have covered 38,000 kilometers [approximately 23,612 miles] in India, all the states and union territories. So it's a fantastic experience. Wherever I went, I met a lot of people who were very helpful, who really wanted to, you know, do something for the betterment of the society. I mean, I just came across a lot of positivity wherever I went."
During the campaign, Iqbal conducted seminars in several universities on how to combat depression.
"There are two options: one is, we discuss an issue but don't do anything constructive, only keep pointing out the negatives. The other option is when people choose to correct the wrongs. So that's exactly what I thought. I love riding. I was interested in it. I thought, if I ride and someone is benefitting because of it, then why not."
Iqbal had counselled patients with depression in the past and plans to continue doing so.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 15 people in India committed suicide every hour in 2014.
More than 800,000 people each year worldwide commit suicide - around one person every 40 seconds - the World Health Organization (WHO) said in September 2014. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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