Bengaluru Walkers Track 21.1-Km GPS Route to Spell JAI HIND on Independence Day

A group of Bengaluru residents took to the city's streets on Saturday to map out the words 'JAI HIND' across digital tracking apps during a 21.1-kilometre Independence Day walk.

Organised by Inclusive Strides, the second edition of the GPS Art Walk brought together sighted participants and visually impaired athletes. The group navigated city roads over nearly five hours to trace out the patriotic message using GPS tracking technology.

The route was initially designed digitally, mapped onto Bengaluru's existing road network, and converted into a GPX file. Walkers loaded the file onto GPS-enabled fitness apps such as Strava and followed the path on foot so their movement data would render the completed artwork on map interfaces.

Vikas Ruparelia, a private company director and GPS art enthusiast who has previously designed digital artworks in London, Barcelona, Vienna, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad, noted that the project transformed city streets into drawing lines and the walkers' footsteps into a digital pen.

Organisers highlighted that the event focused on inclusion by encouraging visually impaired participants to join outdoor activities and sports as active athletes rather than spectators.

Completing the artwork required careful navigation. Walkers had to stay as close as possible to the planned GPS path while managing live city traffic, road crossings, diversions, and route adjustments. A hydration point was set up near the 10-kilometre mark to support participants along the five-hour route.

Organisers stated that the walk aimed to show how everyday fitness technology can serve as a medium for public art and community participation.