Delhi, walk with me now

When shuttler Ashwini Ponnappa came to Delhi for the Commonwealth Games, the 21-year-old had only one thought in mind – “I have to do my best.”
She did exactly that as she won the gold in the women’s doubles badminton, partnering Jwala Gutta.
She’s coming again, this time to see who will join her for a walk for a cause. “I’ve been giving interviews non-stop. I’m enjoying all the attention.I now want to use that attention to invite people to join me for the Let’s Walk: Petrotech Walkathon in Delhi on October 24. Our walk from Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium to India Gate will make a difference to our environment. We must all understand and stop the exploitation our natural wealth is being put through. It is our responsibility to save nature. In our little ways, we can make a big difference. All we have to do is live a healthy life. The first and best step towards this is to walk.”
Ashwini adds, “I hate to see a littered room, fans and lights switched on unnecessarily. Many times, I’ve scolded my friends when I see them standing in front of a running tap while brushing their teeth. I hate wastage. The upcoming Walkathon has the same message. That’s one of the reasons why I’m glad to be given this opportunity to appeal to people to make their own contributions towards a better environment.” Let’s Walk: Petrotech Walkathon 2010 is an initiative by Petrotech and The Times of India to try and save dwindling resources.
Life is currently on a roll for Ashwini. “I’m still basking in the glory of the gold. I even got a few calls for endorsements, but nothing’s been finalised yet,” she says.
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