The second edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon attracted a substantial turnout, with more than 35,000 runners rallying in support of the #RunForZeroHunger cause. This participation marked a notable 50% increase compared to the previous year and encompassed five distinct categories, including the Half Marathon, Open 10K Run, Great Delhi Run, Senior Citizens’ Run, and Champions with Disability Run.
Vedanta, a prominent proponent of this initiative, committed to providing one meal to underprivileged children for every kilometer covered by the participants. In total, this endeavor culminated in the provision of an impressive five million meals, which will be distributed through Vedanta’s extensive network of nearly 6,000 Nand Ghars, a part of the Anil Agarwal Foundation’s comprehensive social impact program operating across 14 states in India.
The inauguration of the marathon was carried out by Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director of Vedanta and Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc Ltd. Notably, the event was graced by esteemed dignitaries, including Anurag Singh Thakur, the Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and I&B, Government of India, Vinai Kumar Saxena, the Lieutenant Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, and Atishi, the Minister of Education in the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
Speaking on the occasion Hebbar said, “What we witnessed today was the immense power of participative sport to mobilise people from all walks of life and come together for fun, fitness and, most importantly, a cause. It is the dream of our Chairman, Anil Agarwal, that every child in India sleeps with a stomach full of nutritious food. We want to make #RunForZeroHunger a mass movement involving every Indian, just like we want every Anganwadi in this country to become a modern Nand Ghar.”
To bolster the nutritional needs of the participants, all those involved in the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2023 were thoughtfully provided with multi-millet bars.
The cause also garnered enthusiastic support from numerous celebrities and influencers, including Bhumi Pednekar and Ashish Vidyarthi, distinguished fitness coach Yasmin Karachiwala, renowned wrestlers Sangram Singh and Sakshi Malik, actors Payal Rohatgi, Sara Khan, Kangan Nangia, and Pankhuri Awasthy, fashion designer Nikhil Mehra, RJ Vidit, and Masterchef Finalist Gurkirat Singh. These individuals lent their significant support in the lead-up to the event.
The event was further graced by the presence of Ashton Eaton, a two-time Olympic medalist and World Champion athlete, who served as the brand ambassador for VDHM 2023. Additionally, the participation and motivation of Indian women’s national cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur and actor-sports enthusiast Gul Panag added further encouragement to the participants.
Notably, nearly 30,000 employees of the title sponsor actively participated in the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. Some employees partook in the Delhi event, while others engaged in mini-marathons in their respective business locations and also contributed through the StepSetGo app. Their collective involvement significantly contributed to the success of the event.
In recognition of their remarkable achievements, all runners were bestowed with a Finisher’s medal, symbolizing their dedication and support for this noble cause.
