Run to promote unity attracts hundreds

Guwahati: Not just for a love of running, but also to be part of a cause, hundreds of IITans and residents from the city turned up to take part in the sixth edition of the Guwahati half-marathon with great enthusiasm on Sunday morning.
More than being a run for fun or a run to prove a point, the 2014 edition of the mega running event was a social campaign initiative with the theme — ‘Run to Affect the Shift’.It gave a platform for people from different walks of life to come and share their desire for a better society. The event, organized by IIT-Guwahati, was the curtain raiser to the institute’s annual techno-management festival — Techniche — which will be held from September 4 to 7 this year.
The event started with the professionals’ 21 km marathon in the morning at Sonaram High School on the banks of the Brahmaputra river, where professional runners from 11 different states turned up.
This was followed by the 6 km run for the general public in which many participants took part. The run covered MG road, Ferry Ghat, Nehru Park, B Baruah road and finally came to the finishing point at Nehru stadium here. A painting competition was organized for those participants who may not have the physical stamina to run all the way.
Filmmaker Shimit Amin of Chak De! India fame addressed the runners. He said, “Running together brings a lot of energy which I could feel today. Participating is more important than winning in huge events like these. This was a morning full of action.”
Congratulating team Techniche for promoting the event, he expressed hope that more such events would be organized. “I would love to participate in events like this and I congratulate Team Techniche for the success of today’s marathon. I really hope that this spirit will continue for years to come,” Amin added.
Many schools, colleges and various organizations came forward to participate in the event. Total prizes worth Rs 3 lakh are given to the winners apart from trophies and certifications given to the top three teams in the prize distribution ceremony.
“The marathon was conducted mainly to awake a sense of unity which was seeming to fade away from today’s world. We must do everything we can to protect humanity’s biggest trait, its unity, and hence IIT Guwahati has taken the initiative to conduct such an event,” said Akash Boddeda of IIT-Guwahati.