Chief minister Rekha Gupta unveiled the finisher’s medal for the 21st edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon on Wednesday, ahead of the race scheduled for Oct 18
New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta Wednesday unveiled the finisher’s medal for the 21st edition of Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon (VDHM), ahead of the race scheduled for Oct 18, and said sporting events of this scale could play an important role in promoting fitness, inclusion and greater public participation.
Gupta said initiatives such as VDHM were aligned with the larger objectives of Fit India movement by encouraging people across age groups to take up physical activity. The increase in participation of women is encouraging,” she said. Recalling her visit to the race last year, Gupta said she had initially planned to spend only a short time, but ended up staying longer after seeing the enthusiasm and energy among participants. Tourism minister Kapil Mishra said large sporting events “add to the branding and tourism of the city when they become part of the annual calendar”.
“When we talk about Fit India, these initiatives are important. Now in its 21st edition, the half marathon has become a fixture on Delhi’s annual sporting calendar.
World Athletics Gold Label race will be flagged off from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Oct 18, with thousands of runners from India and abroad expected to participate.
Its new design symbolises endurance and strength, with every runner completing the race receiving one, according to the organisers. Priya Agarwal Hebbar, chairperson of Hindustan Zinc Ltd and non-executive director of Vedanta Ltd, said the event was also tied to #RunForZeroHunger campaign, under which participation supports efforts to provide food to children and animals in need. “Every kilometre run carries an inspiring purpose,” she said. Shreepad Shende, chief marketing officer of IDFC FIRST Bank, said the half marathon had grown over the years beyond being just a sporting event. He described it as “a movement that celebrates fitness, resilience and collective wellbeing”.
The finisher’s medal has been crafted from pure zinc sourced from Hindustan Zinc’s Zawar mines in Udaipur.