Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada Athletic Association (DKAA), in association with Bhandary Foundation and other like-minded organisations, organised ‘Sahyadri 10K Run Mangaluru’ at the Mangala Stadium on Sunday, February 2, at around 6 am.
The event was organised under the tag-line ‘Swaccha – Parisara – Hasiru – Usiru’, in order to accomplish this mission and to create awareness in line with the Central Government’s Fit India Programme initiative. The other institutions which extended their support are Mangalore University, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science, Karnataka Athletic Association (KAA), Visvesvaraya Technological University and Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, Government of Karnataka.
Veteran music director Gurukiran was the brand ambassador and Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management was the title sponsor. The event was sponsored by Union Bank of India, Allcargo Logistics Ltd., Canara Bank, Hangyo Ice Cream, SCDCC Bank Ltd., Sams Techno Mach Pvt. Ltd., Qtalk, Ramakrishna Mission Mangaluru, Mphasis, Sleepwell, RDC Concrete, Garodi Steels, M. S Pai & Co. and Kanishka Gas Agency, Bengaluru.
The event was organised under different categories like future run, competitive run, Maza with Healthy run among others. It saw a participation of runners comprising of students and professionals like doctors, teachers, engineers, lawyers etc from in and around Mangaluru.
Future Run – 2K for Students – Boys and Girls
This category was organised for teens aged between 14 and 16 years, wherein the selected boys and girls will be trained under DKAA to produce the ‘future champions’ of Mangaluru. There were around 1,200 to 1,500 participants in this category. Boys and girls from over 70 schools in and around Mangaluru and other parts of Karnataka participated enthusiastically.
5K – Competitive Run for Men and Women
The 5K Run is to prepare the future runners to become national and international champions. Participants were aged between 16 and 25 years. Around 720 students from various colleges in and around Mangaluru actively participated.
5K – Maza with Healthy Run – Open to all
This is in line with the Fit India Movement. The 5K Maza Run is for men and women. Their participation to spread awareness about fitness culture will accomplish the mission of Swaccha – Parisara – Hasiru – Usiru. This saw a participation of around 6,500 to 7,000 runners including people from over 50 institutions, organisations and general public.
There were various dignitaries and eminent personalities from different walks of life who graced this gigantic event organised to spread awareness of a healthy environment.
The 10K Run was flagged off by guests like Dakshina Kannada district Superintendent of Police B M Laxmi Prasad, Indian Coast Gaurd Commander S.S. Dasila, Ramakrishna Mutt president Swami Jithakamanandaji and SDM Education Institution secretary Dr. B Yashovarma.
The guests who flagged off 5K Competitive Run were Visveswariah Technological University (VTU) Registrar Dr. Shivakumar, Managing Directors of Hangyo Ice Cream Pradeep G. Pai and Deepa Pai and SCDCC Bank Chairman Dr M N Rajendra Kumar.
The 2K Run for boys was flagged off by Yogish Acharya, General Manager, Canara Bank, Mangaluru; Sagar Modi, Founder and CEO, Quiph, Bengaluru; Kishore Alva, President, Adani Power Limited, Karnataka; K. Govindaraj, MLC, President, Karnataka Olympic Association, Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru and Ajith Kumar Hegde S, Commissioner-City Corporation, Dakshina Kannada.
The 2K Run for girls was flagged off by Dr. Mohan Alva Chairman, Alvas Education Foundation Trust (R), Moodbidri; DK District Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B. Roopesh,
The 5K Maza Run was flagged off by Dr. P. Subramanya Yadapadithaya, Vice-Chancellor, Mangalore University, Mangaluru; K.P. Purushotham, Vice-Chairman, Sports Authority of Karnataka, Govt of Karnataka; Dr. P.S. Harsha, Commissioner of Police, Mangaluru; Vinay Hegde Chancellor, NITTE Education Trust ®, Deralakatte, Mangaluru, and Shashikiran Shetty, Chairman, AI Cargo Logistics Ltd, Mumbai.
Arun Chakravarthy, Inspector General of Police, DK; Dr. Amathe Vikram, Additional Superintendent of Police, DK, Kota Srinivas Poojary, Minister of Fisheries, Ports & Inland Transport of Karnataka, Mangaluru; Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, Kalkura Advertisers, Mangaluru and Praveen Alva, Commandant, 7th Battalion, KSRP Konaje, Mangaluru, MLA Vedavyas Kamath, former MLA J R Lobo and former MLC Ganesh Karnik and Organ Donation India Foundation Chairman Lal Goel were also present on the occasion.
There were over 200 invitees, 150 technical officials, and over 500 of general public who attended the event. Around 600 volunteers took utmost care in preparations, setting up and smooth conducting of activities of the morning.
