New Delhi: Cricket star Sachin Tendulkar will flag off the first-ever 'unity' marathon run being hosted here by the country's largest paramilitary CRPF on October 12.
The force will conduct 'Run for Unity' half-marathon as part of celebrating 75 years of its raising this year. "Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar will be flagging off the marathon. We are expecting a host of other sporting legends and dignitaries from different walks of life to join officers and jawans of the force during the event," CRPF spokesperson (Northern Sector) Prashant Srivastava said.
Among those who are expected to join the event are cricketer Virender Sehwag and boxer Mary Kom who have already associated themselves with the sporting activity.
Sportspersons like Sushil Kumar, Jaspal Rana, Ajit Pal Singh and actor Nana Patekar are too expected to join the run which is being undertaken as a tribute to the martyrs of CRPF, which is leading the anti-Naxal operations in the country.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), raised in 1939, also renders a host of internal security tasks like countering insurgency in the northeast and combating militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
A total of Rs 19.10 lakh in prize money will be given to the winners.
The winners of the half-narathon in both men and women's category will get Rs 3 lakh each, while those finishing second and third will be richer by Rs 2 and 1 lakh respectively. Those who will rank 4-10 after the run will get a prize money ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 80,000.
The marathon will be flagged off from Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium here.
Tendulkar said they had various plans to spot and adopt talent at the grass root level which will be started soon. "Soon plans will be executed to become a competitive side at the international level," he said.
The maestro said though India has the talent, the country has not been able to provide them the right platform. When it was pointed out that IPL is a success as most players in it are international stars and that may not apply to ISL, Tendulkar said, "I think we have international players. David is proof and he said he wants to give something back to the sport. It is what they bring. They are only going to learn rubbing shoulders. I feel it is an opportunity."
"In IPL, the players are from remote areas. They are no big names. Why not encourage him? And it is something I feel, we have lacked over the years. Provide them the right platform. In India there is right talent. We have not been able to provide them the right platform. Over a period the face of Indian football will change," he said.
To another query, Tendulkar said 'It is important for me to support all sports in India, football and cricket, Kabaddi and badminton leagues. Both are successful now. I see no reason that the ISL should not succeed. It was the responsibility of everyone, not only of team owners and players alone, to ensure that it succeeds."
On the first match of Kerala Blasters not being played at Kochi, he said it was difficult to keep everyone happy. "We want to play good football."
Asked if there were plans to tie up with any football clubs, he said the management would take a decision in this regard.
The theme song has been composed by M M Sreelekha, who has composed music for 75 films and sung by Malayalam actor Kalabhavan Mani. Muthoot Pappachan group is title sponsor of the team.
Tendulkar said there are 62 million diabetic patients in India. "That should be reason for all of us to support sports from the grass root level till one stops breathing."
To perform consistently, good fitness is essential, he said.
Urging everyone to look after their health, he said, "Let us become the healthiest and fittest nation of the world."
