Cyclist-turned-biker.... turned his bicycle into a bike

Pawan Sharma shows the cycle-turned-bike to Cooch Behar district magistrate Ayesha Ahmed A on Monday. Picture by Main Uddin Chisti

KOUSIK SEN, TT, Jun 05, 2018, Raiganj: A 12-year-old boy who turned his bicycle into a bike displayed the two-wheeler before senior officials of the North Dinajpur district administration here on Monday.

Pawan Sharma, who studies in Class VII at a private English-medium school here, has fitted an engine, a petrol tank, a dynamo, disc brakes and other accessories to his cycle and could make it run on the fuel, without pedalling the two-wheeler.

"It took me about a fortnight to make the changes. I did it entirely on my own and have spent Rs 18,000. It works just like a motorcycle and these days, I can travel around 80km against a litre of fuel," said Pawan.

The improvised bicycle runs in quite a standard speed. Pawan has even fitted a self-start mechanism in it.

"Whether I need to go to school or for tuitions, I use this cycle and I no longer need to pedal. I can move conveniently at a standard speed," said the class VII student.

Sources said he was fond of making different equipment for quite some time. Earlier, he has made a drone, a mixer-grinder and even a power inverter.

On Monday, Pawan rode to the district magistrate's office here in Karnajora. There, he showed the vehicle and elaborated on the technologies he had used before Ayesha Ahmed A, the district magistrate, T N Sherpa, the SDO, and some others.

"I had learnt about his work and asked him to visit my office so that I can have a look at it. It was great to see that a 12-year-old boy has worked with such intricate technology," said the DM.

As Pawan revved up the engine and rode the cycle on the campus, the officials watched with curiosity and applauded.

"We have planned to display his bicycle at different educational institutions across the district. He will visit these places and mention the technologies which have been used before students. The idea is to encourage students to work for practical application of science and technology," the district magistrate said.

An exhibition, where all the items which the boy has made, would be held here soon, she said.

The district administration, sources said, will also write to the state technical education department, mentioning Pawan's achievement. "We want him to be sent to different science exhibitions, organised in state and national levels. People should learn about his work," said an official.