Lindner MBA Student to Ride a Motorcycle through 48 States in 21 Days for Charity

In between his MBA studies at UC’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, Gowtham Ramamurthy is busy planning for the trip of a lifetime.

He’s preparing for a solo motorcycle ride through all 48 lower states to help impoverished children with their educational needs — and he’ll do it in 21 days.

On April 27, he’ll hop on a Kawasaki motorcycle in front of UC’s Lindner Hall before a crowd of well wishers to traverse the country, averaging almost 500 miles a day before arriving back in Cincinnati on May 17.

The ride, says Ramamurthy, is his way of giving back. He believes that investing in education can help reduce poverty. “The magnitude of people I would be able to help through this fundraiser is tremendous and inspirational.”

Meanwhile, Ramamurthy has been busy raising money and securing sponsors for his 10,246-mile ride. He’s created ride4children.org, a website that details his journey and who benefits from the donations.

For every dollar donated to the Save the Children organization, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will match it with a $3 grant. Proceeds will benefit children both in the U.S. and in India – Ramamurthy’s native country. It's also where he received a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from Anna University and spent three years working at Cognizant Technology Solutions before coming to study at the Lindner College of Business.

To date, he’s raised nearly $2,000 and has secured sponsorship from five companies. Los Angeles Camera Rentals has provided him with a GoPro camera to document the 48-state ride, Lucas Oil is donating lubricants (such as engine oil and chain spray), Shinko Motorcycle Tires has donated tires before and during the trip, Olympia Moto Sports has donated a MotoQuest riding suit and Kabuto Helmets is donating two helmets, one for Ramamurthy to wear and one for him to raffle off to raise additional money for Save the Children.

From the road, Ramamurthy, clad in a leather jacket with American and Indian flags and the Ride4Children.org Web address sewn in place, will blog about his daily experience and stay connected through Facebook and Twitter. He plans to sell a photo book of the journey and spirit wear to support the ride.

To raise awareness for his fundraiser, Ramamurthy is riding in the April 5 Look Twice Cincy Spring Visibility Ride with hopes of gaining support for motorcycle safety as well as his cause. To donate or become a sponsor of the ride, visit the Ride4Children website. You can also follow his travels on Facebook and Twitter.