Kolkata: Donning the green T-shirt provided by organisers, the participants – including a wheelchair-bound person, two women over the age of 80 years and children with cerebral palsy – enjoyed the marathon, mini marathon, fun run, corporate run and school run.
The Tata Medical Center Kolkata Marathon was held today with the promise to bring alive the heart & soul of Kolkata as people from all walks of life ran in Kolkata Marathon for the cause that supports underprivileged cancer patients at Tata Medical Center.
Former captain of Indian Cricket team – Sourav Ganguly, Mr TV Narendran, MD Tata Steel, India & SEA, renowned singer Ms. Usha Utthup, celebrated radio jockey and stand-up comedian Mir and common people participated in this marathon to support the noble cause.
The Kolkata Marathon is the largest marathon in Eastern India and offers the highest ever prize money for the winners.
This time the Kolkata Marathon 2014 was extra special. Moved by the cause, about 10,000 runners participated in various segments of the event to demonstrate their support. Participants from Gujarat, Punjab, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Chattisgarh, Meghalaya, Orissa, Delhi, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh came all the way to partake in this marathon in support of the cause.
Eminent footballers Mehrajudin Wadoo and Subrata Pal were there to support the cause. Setting the right mood for the marathon, Singer Usha Utthup sang the Kolkata Marathon theme song “Dil Diyey Douroben” along with the performance by danseuse Tanushree Shankar’s troupe. Governor, Sri M. K. Narayanan kick started the event by lighting the lamp of Marathon after receiving the torch from Sri Surajit Kar Purkayastha, Police Commissioner, Kolkata.
All proceeds barring the Registration fee that covers the administration of the Run or Walk will go towards the treatment of underprivileged child patients at Tata Medical Center.
The Indian National Cancer registry shows that the maximum number of specific cancers comes from Eastern India. Responding to the dire need for access to advanced treatment and care, the Tata Group has gifted a Rs 350 crore not-for-profit cancer hospital to the people of Eastern India.
Fifty percent of the beds at Tata Medical Center are reserved for the underprivileged. Over 13,000 patients have been treated to date and hundreds are swarming in. The community needs to come together to raise funds for the urgently needed expansion of the hospital and the creation of a corpus fund.
Satyaprakash from Indian Army, Jabalpur won the Marathon covering 42.195 km in 2 hrs 19 minutes and 30 seconds. Patle Gajilal was the runners up while Prahlad Sahai came third. In Mini Marathon -Women Sudha Singh was the winner in 11 km stretch, Ritu Pal was second while Rohini Raut came third.
In Mini Marathon –Men Shivprakash Yadav was the winner in 11 km stretch, Ajoy Kumar Pal came second Laxman Tudu was declared third.
Madan Mitra, Minister of Sports & Transportation, Government of West Bengal, Mr. TV Narendran, MD, Tata Steel – India & SEA, Dr. Mammen Chandy, Director, Tata Medical Center, Kolkata, Ms. Geeta Gopalakrishnan, Director, Donor Relationship, Tata Medical Center and Mrs. Ruchi Narendran gave away prizes and certificates to the winners.