The Hindu : New Delhi News : The spirit of competition, carnival and charity

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Thursday, Sep 14, 2006
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New Delhi

The spirit of competition, carnival and charity

Madhur Tankha

Delhi Half-Marathon 2005

NEW DELHI: More than the spirit of competition and the carnival-like atmosphere that it hopes to create, the Hutch Delhi Half Marathon 2006 to be run on October 15 aims to generate money to lend support to a number of noble causes.

The first Hutch Delhi Half Marathon last year raised over Rs.81 lakhs for various charities that was utilised for educating children, providing hospice care to the terminally ill, creating livelihood opportunities for those below the poverty line and promoting HIV/AIDS awareness. This year, an ambitious target of Rs.1.5 crores has been set by Give India, the official charity of the event.

The collage of incredible stories and emotions that make up the marathon will be immortalised by eminent artist Anjolie Ela Menon, who will do a live painting of the marathon. The painting will later be auctioned. Money thus raised will go to the Society for the Promotion of Rational Thinking, a non-government organisation that the artist has been supporting since its inception.

Speaking at a conference here on Tuesday, Jindal Stainless Limited Director-Corporate and International Marketing N.C. Mathur said his company wanted to build the character of Delhi on the same lines as Mumbai. "Despite insurmountable odds like floods and bomb blasts, Mumbaikars have not lost their spirit and resilience and are still together. We also want Delhiites to demonstrate the same spirit."

Mr. Mathur said: "At a time when our country is passing through such difficult times, it is of utmost importance that we lend support to the marathon. And it is important that our citizens remain fit when we are increasingly getting prone to leading remote control lives. The marathon is also a wake-up call for us on account of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010. We need to work diligently on improving the infrastructure of the city."

Hutch Operations Director Sanjoy Mukerji said the marathon should lead to a citywide movement that will see the participation of thousands of people not as mere spectators watching a cricket match but actually sweating it out for the city or the cause they support.

The special attraction will be Yana Gupta of "Babuji Zara Dhere Chalo... ." Fame and actor Rahul Bose. Showing corporate responsibility towards social causes will be the CEO of PVR Group, Ajay Bijli, and Hero Motors CEO Pankaj Munjal who will participate in the marathon.

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