1 week Ago
Bengaluru: Even before the crack of dawn on a Sunday morning, thousands of runners began trickling into the Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Parade Ground, MG Road to clock their personal best at the most awaited annual TCS World 10K. The marathon, which is a World Athletics Gold Label race, is in its 17th edition and saw a whopping 21,403 runners across all age groups participating in the Open 10K category, 10,631 in Majja Run category, 1,683 in the senior citizens category, and 699 in the Champions with Disability category, while 207 runners were from the Karnataka Police. In a first, the race saw over 9,000 women participants, underlining a 140% increase in women's participation since the inception of the race in 2008.
You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar congratulated the organisers and said: "I am very happy to see so many people come from different parts of the world and India, including Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei in participation and decorated Olympic champion Delilah Mohammad as the ambassador for this race." Home minister G Parmeshwara, meanwhile, said, " TCS World 10K Bengaluru has become one of the biggest events in the world. This race not only represents our city, but also represents a sportive generation and sends out a message of peace and harmony in society.
" The event had in attendance Governor of Karnataka, Thawar Chand Gehlot, principal secretary Rajendra Kataria and actor Mandira Bedi, among others. One of the biggest draws at the event was the Pro-Cam Slam medal — a culmination of a series of runs — a half marathon, 25k run, marathon (42k), and Open 10K within a stipulated time. Medallist Anand Sundarajan, 45, an ITes professional from Pune, said, "Preparation was rigorous owing to the 42k marathon (in Mumbai) in Jan, and that tests discipline.
I had a five-day regimen every week. No matter what, I showed up," he said. Another medallist brimming with joy was Passang Lamu Sherpa, 45, a homemaker, whose journey towards losing weight pushed her to test limits, and her family to follow her path.
Idli sambar chutney camaraderie Onlookers from beyond the barricades were caught by surprise when they saw a scattered plate of breakfast making a dash for the finish line. Human-sized ghee podi idlis, medu vada, filter coffee, masala dosa, kesari bath, and coconut chutney made a dash for it at the 4.2km Majja Run.
This leg of the run, as the name suggests, was one with a fair serving of fun. To Philip Sebastian and friends, dressed up as morning staples, was a display of Bengaluru's deep-rooted bond with its cuisine, a social glue each morning for hundreds. "A hot breakfast after a run is also a ritual that brings people from different corners of the city together," said team member Sujith B Murthy.
With Mental Health Awareness Month just days away, runners, through placards, shed light on inaccessible support. "Several people cannot afford mental health consultations — students, marginalised communities, women, who are not independent earners, and those facing domestic violence and other issues. We try to make these accessible and bring about awareness about silent sufferers," said therapist Srishti Ashok from Sa-Mudra Foundation.
In the sea of heads, stood out a 10-head Ravana — Gururaj Kulkarni Gulabarga. With each head, he displayed a major risk factor for cancer and pushed for preventive health care — screening and awareness. Inset The horror of Pahalgam terrorist attack still resounded in the city during the run.
Manas Kumar from Hyderabad dedicated his 16th consecutive run at TCS to the victims. Dressed in a blood-splattered map of India, with toy guns and photographs, he carried a placard detailing year-wise fatalities from terrorist violence in India, from 2000 to date. "It's not just Kashmir, but the entire country is bleeding.
It is time govt takes firm action, as the family suffers even after these incidents are gone out of collective memory," he said. (inputs by Disha Chatterjee).
