If you happen to see a bicycle with a board in Tamil on it that offers a pitch for cycling as “a cheap and an effective medicine”, then the cyclist is likely from a clinic in Old Pallavaram. The founder of BHS Geriatrics and Diabetes Centre in Old Pallavaram, Dr. B. Hari Shankar encourages his staff and patients to take up cycling to beat lifestyle diseases. He practises what he preaches.

“My staff and patients would have never seen me in a car or motorcycle as I cycle to the clinic every day from my home in Nanganallur, a distance of around eight kilometres,” says Dr. Hari Shankar, who has been running this clinic in Old Pallavaram and earlier in Keelkattalai for the last 14 years.

In the morning, on his way to the clinic, he often drops his daughter at her school in Keelkattalai.

In fact, Hari Shankar started cycling inspired by the words of a patient’s son-in-law who had a stint in Japan where cycling is common.

To encourage his staff to bicycle to work, the management offers a monthly travel allowance of ₹1000. Besides, it covers expense incurred in maintaining the bicycle such as changing the tyres and any other unexpected repairs. “Employees have to produce the bill to get the amount,” says the geriatric physician who is a graduate of Chengalpattu Medical College.

Employees not keen on investing in this eco-friendly mode need not bother as the centre has a ready pool of bicycles – more than 20 cycles ready to hit the road. These were bought gradually over the months. “Many are gently used cycles that we got repaired to the point that they look new,” he says.

Time taken to cycle on the busy roads is often a deterrent to switch entirely to this green mode of transport. But there’s some employees who inspire with their stories.

Nurse S. Banu is one of them. For the last two years, she has been availing the ₹1000 allowance every month. She cycles close to 10 km from her home in Velachery to the centre in Old Pallavaram, and swears that cycling has been an effective way to lose weight.

Social health worker P. Radhakrishnan, who had a history of health issues, is another inspiration. His cycling habit and work at the centre which involves cutting wood ensures him a good night’s sleep. A nurse who comes from Nanganallur is also a diehard cyclist.

Recently, a patient at the centre sought a bicycle and found his request met. Dr. Hari Shankar says he tells his patients and senior citizens that running, cycling and walking are effective ways to beat lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

“Generally an invention brings solution for one and problem for the other, so we have adopted several practices on a trial and error basis. Like food at the centre is cooked on firewood and vegetables are served half cooked. We get wood from carpenters and from households that are planning to discard them,” he says.

The centre has 50 full-time employees on its rolls and does not like to impose anything on patients and staff.

Like a few of the young female nurses found it odd to cycle with the board so it was removed for them. “One size approach does not suit all,” adds the doctor.