Vijayawada: Runs for health have turned into exercises for profit. The runs, which were started to bring awareness among the people about the health, have become events to publicise about corporate companies. They have also become a good source of income to the event management organisations. And Vijayawada, which is trying to emerge as a cosmopolitan city, has become the dais for them.
Event organisers are miniting money from the new found fancy among people of Vijayawada. As part of image building exercise and also to imbibe fitness consciousness among the citizens, Chief Minister N. Chand-rababu Naidu started Amaravati Marathon two years ago. Cashing in on the concept, every week, in the name of health awareness, with the sponsorship of a company, runs or walks are being conducted in the city.
Runners Clubs have been formed by the event management organizations. The event managers have been getting good profits with both the corporates and government giving funds for the same walk/run. Being the Capital city, Vijayawada has got the attention of all the business houses to promote their brands. The programmes like 5K Run and Amaravati Marathon have been on the rise in recent times.
Doctors, middle-class people and schoolchildren have become regular participants for any run. The event management organisations have got agreement with the organisations like Vijayawada Runners Club to provide participants to them. Jio Company has sponsored the Amaravati Marathon event and got the good publicity of its brand.
K. Raja Gopal, a private employee said: “I and my family has used to attend these type of runs regularly before. Because I thought my children may gain some awareness by participating in such type of incidents. Later, it has become routine. My mobile number is registered on one website and I will get called for every run. Doctors were replaced with corporate hospitals and I stopped participating knowing the firms are using us for their publicity.
