GUWAHATI, Sept 27 - �SBI Pinkathon-Empowering Indian Women� � an initiative to raise awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyle for women and issues like breast cancer and bone health � concluded its first edition in the city at the Sonaram High School playground today.
Over 4,000 women across age groups and from different segments of society participated enthusiastically in the 3-km, 5-km, VOLNI 10-km and 21-km categories.
Millind Soman, model, actor, fitness enthusiast, avid barefoot runner and Pinkathon founder, flagged off the run. Also present on the occasion were several prominent personalities from various fields.
Commenting on the success of the SBI Pinkathon Guwahati, Soman said, �SBI Pinkathon-Empowering Indian Women is more than a marathon. It is the seed of change. It is the beginning of a movement carried forward by a growing community of empowered women across India, who share a belief that a healthy family, a healthy nation and a healthy world begins with empowered women. The first step in empowerment is taking control of your own health, respecting yourself and understanding and celebrating the value you bring to your family and society.�
Soman added that empowerment was not a gift of society but was a gift a woman gives to herself. �We are delighted to have such a diverse crowd right from young school students, veterans, underprivileged and visually impaired girls participating in Pinkathon at Guwahati,� he said.
Soman also thanked the City Traffic Police for its role in smooth holding of the run.
Some of the noteworthy participants in the run were groups of visually impaired and hearing impaired girls running for the first time. A group of mothers carrying infants just a few months old also participated. Additionally, the run witnessed a squad consisting of cancer survivors who participated enthusiastically.
The run also has participation from neighbouring States like Meghalaya. The run had participants as young as 6 to 18 months and as old as 70 to 80 years. Winners of the timed run in the 2-km, VOLINI 10-km, 5-km and 3-km runs were felicitated at the ceremony held after the run. Participants in the Pinkathon were given a free mammogram above 45 years of age and below 45 years bone density check and medical examination.
Reema Sanghavi, managing director, Maximus MICE & Media Solutions Pvt Ltd and co-founder of Pinkathon, said, �I am passionate about this noble cause of health and fitness for all women. Maximus is proud to organise SBI Pinkathon across cities in India and touching so many lives. It is our leading intellectual property. Pinkathon will be organized in eight cities � including Kashmir � in India 2015. I am simply overwhelmed with tremendous response in Guwahati and this will certainly motivate us to do much more going forward.�
