For somebody who has lived in Mumbai all his life, and does not really know what winter is like, Delhi’s cold can be traumatic. And waking up at 5 am in December on a Sunday morning, wearing shorts and sleeveless t-shirt to run a marathon, seems like an impossible task to me.
The Sunday morning temperature in Delhi was eight degrees celsius, but that didn’t stop thousands of Delhiites from participating in the half-marathon organised by the Delhi police. In association with the Laadli foundation, the Delhi police organised ‘Run for Laadli’, that aimed at spreading awareness about gender equality and stop crimes against women in the capital.
The event was organised in the backdrop of the fifth anniversary of the 2012 Nirbhaya rape case that shook the entire nation and revolutionised laws for crimes against women. Delhiites flocked to Jawaharlal Nehru stadium to participate in the half-marathon categorised into 21 km, 11 km and 5 km races, and a 2.5 km race for the differently-abled.
The races were flagged off by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and social justice minister Thawar Chand Gehlot. Hailing the Laadli foundation and the Delhi police’s efforts towards gender sensitisation and protection of women, Singh said that there will come a time when women will be able to roam freely, without having to worry about their safety on the streets.
“Sensitisation can’t be induced through speeches, the society itself needs to realise the importance of it, and that can come only after a change in the mindset,” said Singh.
As a part of the initiative, 15,000 unemployed youth were registered with the Skill India programme. The youth also took oath to become a “Laadli Rakshak” to promote gender sensitisation and raise their voice against atrocities faced by women.
Not everybody was a runner. While some were seen warming-up before the race, many came just to support the cause, and to spread awareness about gender equality.
Old and young, women and children, everybody participated in the races of their choice. People from the recently organised Super Sikh Marathon also participated.
The pricking cold did not deter these young participants from running for a cause.
Volunteers of the Laadli Foundation left no stones unturned to raise the spirits of the participants.
And when the whistle blew, there was no stopping them...
...till they dropped at the finish line, trying to catch their breath.
Ability is just a matter of perspective, they say. These participants totally justify the saying.
The million dollar smile on the faces of the winners is enough to inspire many (like me) to leave their beds in the morning and start running.
The chorus of thousands of people singing the national anthem before the race could fill your heart with a sense of pride, patriotism and inspiration. The air at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium was filled with every kind of positive energy that one can think of. It was filled with a spirit of humanity and co-existence. It was the spirit of Delhi.
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