Hyderabad: The much-awaited Granules Green Heartfulness Run and Plantation Week
which is in its fourth edition was held early morning today with over 100,000
participants from across India taking part from various locations. At Kanha
Shanti Vanam alone - the headquarters of Heartfulness housing the largest
meditation centre in the world - the participant turn-out was over 5000. The
nationwide event is supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
(Govt. of India) and Fit India and is aimed at not only bringing communities
together for health and unity but also to raise environmental consciousness.
119 Heartfulness Centres in India and few other overseas were designated for
the event, while many also participated virtually.
Corporate teams, students
and families joined the event across various categories at Kanha Shanti Vanam.
The 21km Timed Run recorded its highest participation with 320 runners followed
by 1000 runners in the 10km Timed Run. The 5km Timed Run witnessed 1500 runners
while 2180 participants ran the 1.5km Non-Timed Family Run.
The run was flagged off
by Shri Syed Kirmani- former India wicketkeeper and
1983 World Cup winner; Shri Pullela Gopichand - Chief National Coach for Indian
National Badminton Team; Mrs. Uma Chigurupati- Executive Director, Granules
India Limited; Shri Mahesh M. Bhagwat - IPS, Additional DGP, Law & Order;
Shri Dil Raju- noted Filmmaker; Ms.
Mehreen Pirzada - noted film actor; Smt. Pratima Patel - wife of Revered Daaji
(Guide of Heartfulness & President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission); Mr. Sanjay
Sehgal, Trustee & Director, Heartfulness Institute, Global Working
Committee, Mrs. Rachna Mehta (GHR Event Director) and Mr. Anant Sanjeev Doogar
(GHR - Race Director).
Shri Mahesh M.
Bhagwat - IPS, Additional DGP, Law & Order said, “The fourth edition of
Granules Green Heartfulness Run has got bigger than the previous years as can
be seen by the turn-out. It goes to show the amount of awareness the initiative
has brought among people to save and plant more trees. Be it fitness enthusiasts
or green advocates, this marathon twins the purpose for the better and we hope
to ten thousand additional plants since the previous editions.”
“The Granules Green
Heartfulness Run is a fantastic initiative for fitness enthusiasts and also
ecological evangelists. The turnout has been growing every edition and it goes
to show how people are growing more environmental conscious and this includes
the sensibilities children are also developing towards saving the green cover.
It is inspiring to come together for the good cause and joing Heartfulness in
its greening movement,” said Mrs. Uma Chigurupati - Executive Director, Granules
India Limited.
“This year we have
aimed to raise sufficient funds to rejuvenate an iconic park withing Hyderabad
Metro area. In the past three editions the impact factor has been at 88,000+
runners, 20,000+ trees planted and maintained and over 80 locations across
India having hosted the run. It is Daaji’s keen desire that more and more
people are sensitized to save our green cover and under his guidance the fourth
edition is accelerating that impact factor and making this run for a cause
contagious. Together we are bringing the positive change,” said
Mr. Sanjay Sehgal - Trustee and Director, Heartfulness Institute.
The key event partners included Medicover as the Medical Partner, IQ301 as the Timing Partner, Decathlon as the Sports Partner, Re-Active as T-shirt Partner, Community and 365
Run Club as Community Partners, Morph E-Mobility as the E-Mobility Partner, The Nile Mile as the Marathon Partner, and Forest by Heartfulness as the Forestation Partner.
Leading organisations
such as Evernorth Health Services, Oak Tree Capital, Granules
India, Symbiosis College, and the CRPF have joined this
movement toward holistic well-being and environmental responsibility.