For the residents of Shweta Cooperative Housing Society on Sinhagad Road, 50-year-old Capt. S.N. Dongre is a familiar sight, peddling away on his bicycle - sometimes to the neighbourhood Deccan market for the weekly lot of vegetables and sometimes as far away as the Command Hospital, a distance of 30 km.

While Capt. S.N. Dongre retired from the Army a long time back, the BSA SLR bicycle he purchased from the Army canteen way back in 1970 is still going strong. Driven by the passion of saving up on the money the country spends on purchasing oil resources, Capt. Dongre took to the bicycle as a mode of transport 28 years back. ``I was inspired by a speech made by Indira Gandhi after the 1971 war in which she spoke about the contribution every citizen could easily make by saving up on the money we spend on buying oil from the United Arab Emirates. Since then I took a vow not to use a motorised vehicle for distances upto 15 km one way,'' he says.

The message sunk so deep into Capt. Dongre's heart that he immediately made up his mind to stop use of fuel-driven vehicles. ``Every person has a capacity for physical exertion. I personally feel that cycling has kept me younger than my age. It has also kept me fit and confident about my physical capabilities,'' he says. From three trips made to his office in Jhansi, when he was posted there as a young Captain - for morning PT, office and evening games - to regular trips made to the site where his house was being constructed in Gwalior, after retirement, Capt. Dongre has maintained his passion for the motorless two-wheeler. Behind the commitment is a die hard nationalism. ``I am doing this for my country. For every litre of petrol I save, the country is saving up on foreign exchange,'' says the old soldier.

Using a bicycle has its restrictions. ``I never use my cycle for distances above 18 km one way. And if both my wife and I have to travel together, we use the M-80,'' he admits. And of course, there are principles the hard core cyclist follows very sternly. ``If I use my M-80, I make sure I give a lift to at least one person. The petrol consumption is going to be the same, and helping out another fellow citizen brings in a sense of togetherness and nationalism,'' he says.

The retired captain is advocating the message of a healthy environment and a pollution free country. ``Even in the West people use bicycles. Why must we only pick up the luxurious way of life from them,'' he asks. Even his own family of five has adopted his philosophy where five bicycles are parked with a definite purpose. ``My daughters used to commute to their school five km away on bicycles, my wife uses her bicycle for daily shopping rounds to Deccan, and I have even persuaded my son-in-law (who is a doctor) to use the bicycle for going to the hospital and back,'' he states, a pleased smile lighting up his face.

Other soldiers are signing on. And so are the kids from his colony, friends and neighbours. Next time you spot this slim retired soldier with a snow white moustache and white hair peeping out from underneath a sports cap, you know who he is. A proud soldier waging a lone battle for fuel-conservation and against pollution. If you want to sign up, he will be happy to take you on!