Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on June 20 set off the registration process for the forthcoming sporting event – Tawang Marathon – by launching the event website ‘www.tawangmarathon.com’, mascot and T-shirt.
He also became the first person to register for the event in the 10 km category scheduled to be held in Tawang on October 1.
The event, to be organized jointly by the state government and the Tawang-based 5 Mountain Division of the Indian army, will have 4 categories of marathon races viz., 5 km, 10 km, 21 km and 42 km.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, CM Khandu expressed optimism that the marathon event would attract several enthusiasts and professional from across the globe and country.
“With registration for the event offered online through the website and open for all including foreign nationals, I am optimistic that it would witness a large number of participants,” he said.
Immediately after launching the event website, Khandu registered himself as a participant and made a fervent appeal to all health enthusiasts and conscious citizens from all sorts of backgrounds to register and give it a go.
“In today’s world of smart devices and online games, it is our duty to motivate the younger generation to actively take part in physical activities like games and sports. Physical exercise is necessary not only for good physical health but also a good mental health,” he said.
Khandu believed that such events will boost sporting activities in the state that will lead to talented sportspersons to take their respective fields seriously.
“We have no dearth of sporting talents. In fact in the Northeast, we are third after Assam and Manipur. Little bit of effort is needed to motivate these talented sportspersons to turn professionals and win us medals both in national and international events,” he said.
Expressing unflinching faith in sporting capabilities of the youth, Khandu informed that to encourage them the state government has modified the state sports policy.
“The sports policy aims to encourage our sportspersons to excel. We wish to send them to Olympic Games and then reward them suitably,” he added.
The Tawang Marathon is being organized under the Center’s Vibrant Village Program.
The launch ceremony was also attended by Tawang MLA Tsering Tashi, GoC 5 Mountain Div A K Singh, secretary sports, deputy commissioner Tawang and others.
