Jamshedpur : The sixth annual Jamshedpur Run, organised by XLRI as part of Valhalla 2014 was flagged off by Padma Shri Premlata Agarwal, cricketer Saurabh Tiwary and Jagannath Das, Youth Affairs, CII Kolkata on a bright Sunday morning, where 1500 enthusiastic participants turned up and graced the event. Starting from XLRI�s football ground, the routes of the 5km and the 10km marathon entailed some of the most picturesque roads of Jamshedpur.
The mini-marathon, organized as one of the foremost events of Valhalla, the annual sports and cultural festival of XLRI, aims to bring people from all walks of life together for a common cause. As it has been the tradition over the past five years, the marathon was conducted this year to sensitize people towards the differently abled. It is the collective responsibility of each one of us to bring more smiles in the lives of everyone in whichever way, small or big, that we can.
People from all walks of life, be it school and college students, faculty members, industry experts, dignitaries and citizens of the city hit the ground at 6:00 a.m. The run was graced by the presence of several dignitaries from the city, along with representatives of CII-Young India (CII-YI), corporate executives, XLRI faculty, and students from top B-schools � XLRI, IIMs, MDI, XIMB, and SIBM. These students from the best campuses across India also joined hands together with the denizens of Jamshedpur for the greater good of the society.
The winners were felicitated at the prize distribution ceremony by Fr. James Santhanam, Associate Dean (Student Affairs), XLRI and Ms. Premlata Agrawal, the ace mountain climber. Ms. Agarwal who has been an inspiration to many not just in Jamshedpur but across India was a big draw for the students. The participants took home, not only the joy of being a part of a philanthropic effort, but also goodies and Certificates.
The medical arrangements for the event were taken care of by the volunteers of XLRI with medical stations installed throughout the route.
Upholding the legacy of promoting social harmony and youth empowerment, the Yi (Young Indians) Network at XLRI Jamshedpur, a movement promoted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) conceptualised the mini marathon in 2010. The legacy is carried forward this year with the theme �We can. We will.� which reflects the perseverance within each of us to stand strong in the face of adversity.
The theme, �We can. We will.� blends the XLRI tradition of encouraging socially responsible businesses with the Young India mission of bringing about a generational change in the economic and social agenda of India.
The mini-marathon event ended on a high note with participants expressing a strong desire to participate in the event next year.
