The Hindu Business Line : Delhi's half marathon in Oct gets corporate backing

COME October and the country will witness a public-corporate partnership of a different sort on the roads of the Capital. It will be a 21-km-long marathon run, literally.

The public will run, the corporates will provide the funds and the money raised out of the event would be routed through non-government profit seeking organisations for charity.

Publicised as the world's richest half marathon in terms of its $0.15 million prize money, the Hutch Delhi Half Marathon would be held on October 16.

Announcing the event today, the President of the Athletics Federation of India, Mr Suresh Kalmadi, said: "This would be a good run up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held in Delhi."

This is the second year that the event is being organised in the Capital and this time it is expected to generate a lot more interest because around 40 of the world's top middle and long-distance runners are expected to participate in the event.

And, a galaxy of corporate houses has lent its combined weight to make it a success. Hutchison Essar, which has been recently named as the most respected telecom company in the country, is the title sponsor of the event. The largest stainless steel producer in the country Jindal Stainless Ltd has stepped in as the associate sponsor. Standard Chartered Bank is the financial services partner. DHL would be providing logistical support for the entire event.

New Balance is the sportswear partner. Kingfisher will provide the bottled drinking water. And, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre is the official medical partner.

Prasar Bharti Corporation is the broadcast partner while The Times of India the print partner and Radio Mirchi the radio partner. At the end of the event, non-government charitable organisation GiveIndia would take up the necessary charity work with the funds raised from the event.

The event will have three runs - a 21-km half marathon, another 7 km great Delhi run and another 4.3 km senior citizens run.

The plans are being put in place on a war footing and even the small details are being carefully planned.

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Delhi's half marathon in Oct gets corporate backing

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