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Indian, international athletes gear up for Tata Mumbai Marathon
Mumbai, Jan 19 (IANS) The worlds finest distance runners are geared up for the 16th edition of the prestigious Tata Mumbai Marathon 2019, which will be flagged off here on Sunday.
With a record participation of over 46,000 runners, the IAAF Gold Label Race will be flagged off from outside the landmark Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST). The total prize money awarded will be USD 405,000.
With a stellar line up of Elite Indian Athletes, this year will see the participation of 8,414 runners in the Full Marthon, 15,457 in Half Marathon, 2,516 in Timed 10K, 17,661 in Dream Run, 1,005 in Senior Citizens Run, and 1,301 in Champions with Disability.
In the men’s elite race, leading the pack is the fastest man in the running field — Abera Kuma from Ethopia — with a personal best (PB) of 02:05:50, aiming for Tata Mumbai Marathon course record, whereas in the women’s category, Ethiopia’s Amane Gobena with her personal best timing of 02:21:51 is all set to defend women’s title.
The other elite athletes to look out for will be Mongolian Marathon record holder, Serod Batochir, Dinknesh Mekash from Bekoji, Ethopia (known as the ‘Town of Runners’), and Kenya’s Jacob Kendagor.
The Indian men’s race is also expected to be a close encounter. Defending Champion and Asian Marathon Champion, Gopi Thonakal will face a strong opposition with the Tata Mumbai Marathon course record holder Nitendra Singh Rawat.
The other big names in the fray are Rashpal Singh, who has PB of 2:19:19, Karan Singh with a PB of 2:22:17, and Bahadur Singh Dhoni with a PB of 2:19:13 .
The Elite Indian women’s athletes contingent will be led by the Asian & Commonwealth Steeplechase Gold Medallist and Defending Champion Sudha Singh. She will face stiff competition from Jyoti Gawte, the two-time Mumbai Marathon winner.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.