PUNE: A fellowship meet of ‘The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride’ (DGR), organized with the objective of creating awareness about men’s mental health and raising funds for prostate cancer research, was recently held with great enthusiasm in Pune. The event commenced from the Triumph – B.U. Bhandari motorcycle showroom in Pashan and concluded at ‘Kairos Restaurant’ in Kalyani Nagar.
A total of 280 riders from Pune participated in this global initiative, which is conducted simultaneously across the world on the same day. Riding classic and custom motorcycles, participants arrived in elegant ‘dapper’ attire from different parts of the city, spreading a message of social unity. Along with promoting awareness about men’s health, the ride also highlighted the importance of responsible and disciplined motorcycling.
The global initiative ‘The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride’ was founded in 2012 in Sydney, Australia, by Mark Hawwa. The concept was inspired by the character Don Draper from the television series Mad Men. Today, the initiative has expanded to 115 countries, with more than 340,000 riders participating worldwide and raising over USD 31.6 million for the cause.
The Pune event was organized by DGR 2026 Host and Radon Riders founder Dr. Kishor Shinde, Rajesh Verma of Triumph – B.U. Bhandari, and DGR 2026 Host and Radon Riders Core Committee member Adv. Naresh Shelke. Ritika Lahiri from Bajaj India shared important information and guidelines regarding motorcycling and DGR before the event commenced from Pashan.
Red FM 98.3 was the official media partner for the event. RJ Bandya from Red FM attended the gathering and interacted with the riders. The keynote speakers included psychiatrist Dr. Prasanna Futane from Sachchidanand Mental Health and Counselling Centre and engineer Prasad Bapat of Shri Bike Point.
Dr. Prasanna Futane provided detailed guidance on mental illnesses, depression, their causes, and treatments. Engineer Prasad Bapat also shared useful insights on motorcycle care, maintenance, and planning during the summer and monsoon seasons.
Despite the intense summer heat, all 280 riders maintained remarkable discipline, safety, and enthusiasm throughout the event. Held globally every year on a Sunday in May, this year’s DGR event took place on May 17, 2026. Marking its 15th year, the initiative once again reflected its true spirit through fashionable attire, classic motorcycles, and a strong sense of unity for men’s health awareness.
