R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, DEC 11
Over 6,000 people from all walks of life from tiny tots to senior citizens, including women to differently-abled and visually-challenged, chilled-out for a noble cause amidst rain and chilling weather on Sunday morning near Elliots Beach for a Marathon here on Sunday.
The Marathon featured 3 km, 5 km, 10 km and 21 km categories organized by Madras Round Table 1 (MRT1) to raise funds for Mahesh Memorial Trust’s paediatric oncology ward at the Adyar Cancer Institute.
Over 6,000, including individuals from various organizations, IT companies enthusiastically took part in ‘Chennai Runs’ braving rain’ from Olcott Memorial High School Grounds as starting and finishing point.
- The Marathon features 3 km, 5 km, 10 km and 21 km categories organized by Madras Round Table 1 (MRT1) in aid of Mahesh Memorial Trust’s paediatric oncology ward at the Adyar Cancer Institute.
- Actors RJ Balaji, and Krishnakumar of ‘Surarai Potru’ flag off the 5 km and 3 km runs
Special arrangements were made for people with disabilities including the visually-impaired to participate in the races. Actors RJ Balaji and Krishnakumar flagged off the 5 km and the 3 km races.
Runners were treated to a scenic view of Chennai as the run route covered famous locations and landmarks such as Adyar Bridge, Sri Ayyappan Temple, Santhome Church, Light House, and Vivekananda House. A chip based timing system was used, and winners were given medals and cash prizes.
Commenting on the marathon, Dr. Ashvin Agarwal, Chairman, MRT1, said, “We organised Chennai Runs as part of our annual charity fundraiser. Our objective is to support Mahesh Memorial Trust, which is running a world class cancer care facility for children. The run will make a big difference to paediatric cancer care, as the funds raised from the event will go towards early detection of cancer among children in poor socio-economic backgrounds in the local communities, and for their treatment at the paediatric cancer ward of Mahesh Memorial Trust. We are a zero-overhead organisation. This means, every rupee we raise goes entirely to the cause. The contributions will also help boost the level of awareness about medical breakthroughs in cancer treatment, thus raising hopes of a cure, and eliminating misconceptions about the disease among the public.”
In his comments Chirag Gupta, MRT1 Fundraise Convenor, said, “MRT1 believes in community service through the fellowship of its members. We have consistently been raising funds over the past 65 years for various charities and welfare institutions. We are extremely happy that the inaugural edition of Chennai Runs attracted over 6,000 people from all walks of life. The marathon attracted a large number of children from 8 years of age, women, and senior citizens. It also demonstrated a great degree of inclusiveness as special arrangements were made for ‘Champions with Disabilities’ to take part in the races. We could also fulfil the promises made to the runners in terms of safety, support, and comfort. The run route, spanning from Besant Nagar to Marina beach, offered runners a visual treat and inspired them to complete the run enthusiastically.”
A highlight of Chennai Runs was the two-day expo on paediatric cancer organised on December 9 and 10 featuring awareness talks from experts.
The event was managed by ‘YouTooCanRun’, India’s leading race management services company and supported the participants with aid stations, hydration points, medical facilities & ambulance services, route markers, and post-race refreshments.
Mahesh Memorial Trust
Mahesh Memorial Trust was established in memory of Mahesh Mahadevan, a past member of MRT1 and music director. He has passed away in October 2002 after battling cancer for 13 years. In recent times, the efforts of the trust have been geared towards the building of the Mahesh Memorial Paediatric Oncology Centre at the Adyar Cancer Institute to provide the tiny tots here a cheerful ambience for their treatment and recovery, the organizers added.
