GUNTUR: Long-distance running prodigy Budhia Singh will visit Guntur for two days on Sunday and Monday to encourage schoolchildren here to take up sporting activity seriously in addition to academics.

Kanna Concept School and Bala Bharathi have lined up several programmes in the district on the two days to provide maximum exposure to the child prodigy and his coach Birenchi Das so that children get enthused to take to athletics that gets least importance these days.

At a press conference here on Friday Kanna Concept School director Kanna Master and Bala Bharathi founder Yarram Sambi Reddy said that on Sunday morning Budhia would interact with children of Kanna Schools in the city. He would participate in a face-to-face programme with young sportspersons at the school.

To visit Amaravathi

Budhia would then visit the historical town of Amaravathi on Sunday evening and plant saplings in the garden in front of Dhyana Buddha statue. His proposed visit to London got cancelled following a writ filed by the Orissa Women and Child Welfare Department preventing him from running long distances. His seven-hour 65-km run from Puri had raised a controversy and the Orissa Government and several child welfare organisations sought curbs on Budhia's running long distances in view of his health.

Rally

Budhia's itinerary in Guntur on Monday includes a rally from NTR Indoor Stadium at Brundavan Gardens at 9 a.m. to B.R. Stadium in an open-top van. Children from various schools in the city would participate in the rally. At the stadium he would give away prizes to winners of running competitions to be organised on Saturday.

A civic reception would be organised at the NTR Indoor Stadium for Budhia on Monday evening.

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