City denizens run mini marathon for love of India

Bhubaneswar: Thousands of city denizens participated in the India Mini Marathon to express their love for the nation here on Sunday. The enthusiasm of the participants was infectious with the 'I for India' slogan reverberating all over the 5-km stretch from Janata Maidan to Kalinga Stadium.
"It was the perfect time to conduct the run as so many disturbing things are happing in the country starting from the Dadri lynching to terror attacks.I fell a spontaneous push to take part in the mini marathon," said Anirudh Sahu, a 29-year-old entrepreneur.
Governor S C Jamir flagged off the mini marathon in which more than 16,000 people participated despite the chill at 7.30 am. Similar marathons were held in 54 cities across the country on Sunday with the aim of suffusing patriotism among the public. The Centre asked armed forces to conduct the event in other cities while in Bhubaneswar around 100 different organisations come forward to make it a success, said sources in Nalco, one of the organizers.
"Bhubaneswar has never witnessed such participation, imbued in patriotic fervour, in a mini marathon ever before," said NALCO chairman-cum-managing director (CMD), Tapan Kumar Chand. He gave credit to the team work of the organizers including various public sector undertakings, corporate houses, banks, insurance companies, schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, NGOs, CISF & police personnel, clubs and forums. "There was no competition; only a demonstration of love for the nation," said the organisers.
Several dignitaries - including sportspersons like Debashish Mohanty, Shiv Sunder Das, Anuradha Biswal, Shrdhanjali Samantaray, Odissi danseuse Illeana Citaristi, sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik and several others - participated and also cheered the runners. Among others, Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Patsani and sports and youth affairs minister Sudam Marndi was also present at the event.