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Tag: marathon

  • TCS powers ahead on marathon track, sprinting past $21 billion in brand value

    TCS powers ahead on marathon track, sprinting past $21 billion in brand value

    MUMBAI: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) isn’t just clocking miles – it’s clocking brand mileage. The IT and consulting juggernaut has emerged as a front-runner in  Brand Finance ‘Marathons 50 2025’ report, which ranks global sponsors fueling the world’s top running events. With a $2.25 billion economic boost delivered through the marathons it backs, and $279 million raised for charities in 2024 alone, TCS is redefining what it means to be a marathon sponsor.

    The report finds that the world’s top 50 marathons together pumped $5.2 billion into their host cities and raised $425 million for charitable causes last year – proving that these 42.195 km spectacles are much more than finish lines and finisher medals. They’re engines of economic and social impact.

    TCS, now title sponsor and tech partner of 14 major marathons including five of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, has seen its brand value balloon from $2.1 billion in 2010 to a muscular $21.3 billion in 2025. Among non-runners, its brand consideration is a healthy 27 per cent, while among marathoners it surges to 67 per cent – underscoring the deep engagement running fans have with the brand.

    “The Brand Finance report confirms what we’ve known on the ground,” said TCS  chief marketing and communications officer Abhinav Kumar. “Marathons move more than bodies – they move hearts, communities, and economies. We’re proud to back 10 of the world’s top 50 races.”

    Beyond branding, TCS is fuelling the sport with cutting-edge tech. From AI-powered race-day engagement to the world’s first digital twin heart of a pro runner, the firm is bringing innovation to the track. It’s also leaving green footprints behind – its ReScore app, now used to certify 53 global sporting events, underscores its pledge to sustainability and community well-being.

    Brand Finance CEO David Haigh chimed in: “Marathons marry soft power, place branding, and purpose. They’re personal, they’re public, and they’re powerful. TCS is sprinting in the right direction.”

    From New York to London and Sydney, TCS is running not just with the pack – but ahead of it, transforming every race into a showcase for tech, sustainability, and shared humanity. A marathon effort that’s clearly paying off.

  • From corporate boardroom to marathon podium: Kavita Chand’s extraordinary transformation

    From corporate boardroom to marathon podium: Kavita Chand’s extraordinary transformation

    MUMBAI: In the pre-dawn chill of New Delhi, as most of the city slept, Kavita Chand crossed the finish line of the New Delhi Marathon on 23 February 2025 with the timer reading 1:39:52—finally breaking the elusive 100-minute barrier for the half marathon distance. The achievement earned her a gold medal in her age category and marked a personal best by two minutes, but for Chand, it represented something far more significant: validation of one of the boldest decisions of her life.

    “Finally sub 100 half marathon… Podium gold in age category. Gratitude always,” Chand shared in a characteristically understated social media post that belied the magnitude of her journey from corporate executive to competitive athlete.

    Just seven months earlier, Chand had walked away from her position as vice president of media at Kantar, where she had built an impressive 11-year career. The Mumbai-based media professional had previously held prestigious positions at Lintas Media Group, MEC, and Madison Communications, where she specialized in strategic planning and new business development. Her corporate trajectory had been steady and successful—the kind many professionals aspire to.

    But beneath the surface of her corporate success, Chand had been nurturing a growing passion for distance running. What began as early morning runs to manage workplace stress gradually evolved into a serious pursuit. Colleagues recall her meticulous training schedules wedged between business meetings and her occasional disappearances during lunch breaks for quick training sessions.

    “Kavita always brought the same intensity to her running as she did to client presentations,” recalls a former colleague from Kantar. “There was a methodical precision to everything she did—whether analysing media metrics or planning her marathon training splits.”

    The decision to leave the corporate world wasn’t made lightly. After competing in  several marathon runswhile balancing her demanding career, Chand began to question whether she could reach her full athletic potential while devoting most of her energy to media strategy. In July 2024, she made the leap, trading boardroom presentations for full-time training.

    “It wasn’t a decision I made lightly,” Chand revealed in a rare interview with a running magazine. “I had financial considerations, career implications, and honestly, plenty of self-doubt. But I kept coming back to one question: ‘When I’m eighty, which will I regret more—not becoming a CMO or not discovering my potential as an athlete?’”

    The results have been remarkable. Since focusing exclusively on her athletic career, Chand has competed in races across India and globally, steadily improving her times and building a reputation in distance running circles. Coaches note her analytical approach to training—the same skills that once helped her develop media strategies now applied to understanding lactate thresholds and optimizing recovery periods.

    By November 2024, the reinvention began showing results. At the Bengaluru Half Marathon, she clocked 1:41:45, winning silver in her category. December brought a personal best in Pune at 1:40:58.

    Throughout this period, Chand supplemented her running with high-altitude treks in the Himalayas, laying groundwork for her mountaineering aspirations. Weekend excursions to elevations above 10,000 feet became regular features of her training calendar.

    “The mountains teach patience and humility in ways that road racing cannot,” she noted on her increasingly popular blog documenting her journey. “When you’re at 14,000 feet, you learn to respect nature’s timetable, not your own.”

    The sub-100 minute half marathon in New Delhi represented more than just a time benchmark—it validated her unconventional choice to step away from corporate success at its peak. The gold medal performance immediately qualified her for several elite racing events previously beyond her reach. medal time berlin

    Beyond her personal achievement, Chand’s journey has inspired a movement within Mumbai’s corporate community. She now leads “Corporate to Competitor” weekend training groups specifically designed for professionals considering similar transitions. Her transformation has inspired many in her network of over 3,200 followers, particularly professionals who harbour dreams of pursuing their own passions. Several former colleagues have taken up running inspired by her example, and she occasionally hosts weekend training sessions for beginners in Mumbai’s Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

    “What makes Kavita’s journey special isn’t just the athletic achievement,” says a running club member who trains with her regularly. “It’s that she had the courage to completely reinvent herself at the peak of her corporate career, trusting that her passion could become her new purpose.”

    As for what’s next, Chand remains characteristically focused on the immediate horizon. Sources close to her suggest she’s targeting a full marathon in under 3:30 next season—another significant milestone for someone who five years ago had never run more than five kilometres at a stretch.

    Her mountaineering ambitions continue to develop in parallel, with plans reportedly underway for an expedition to a 6,000-meter Himalayan peak in late 2025. The complementary training regimens for both pursuits have created a year-round athletic focus that replaces the quarterly business cycles that once structured her life.
    For now, she celebrates her sub-100 minute half marathon—not just as an athletic achievement, but as affirmation that sometimes the most rewarding finish lines are the ones that require us to leave our comfort zones far behind.

  • Kellanova’s Sonam Pradhan’s date with the Tata Mumbai Marathon

    Kellanova’s Sonam Pradhan’s date with the Tata Mumbai Marathon

    MUMBAI: We normally see her on stage dressed to the T like a corporate executive presenting or taking part in panel discussions around digital marketing and spends. But there’s another side to Kellanova head media & digital marketing Sonam Pradhan: she loves to run, she’s an avid marathoner.

    And boy did she run at the twentieth Tata Mumbai Marathon which finished just a couple of days ago. When she crossed the finishing line, she had covered the full distance of the marathon – the full 42.195 kilometres. Kudos to her as many other media professionals ran only seven kilometers, or 10 kilometres, or the half marathon.

    Which is what she had been doing so far and she expressed that on Linkedin: 
    “Finish the race, Never the run.Completed My First Full Marathon! 42.2 kilometres  taught me discipline, resilience, and the power of consistency—lessons I carry into every aspect of life and work.She came. She ran. She conquered.”

    We don’t know what her timing was like, but completing the marathon is no easy task and only a few million  worldwide have managed to go  the distance. For not only does it require physical strength and stamina, but it also calls for a lot of get-go spirit, the never-say-die attitude even if it feels like you are going to. Some say, the thirty fifth kilometre is when the body wants to give up and that’s when you have to draw up on your reserves –  even if you have ran out of them – and go on. Once the thirty seventh  kilometre is crossed, the legs tend to move forward on their own.

    As they did for Sonam.  And the following five kilometres were a cinch for her!

    More power to this marketing & media professional!

  • Media veteran Yesudas S Pillai and his personal Tata Mumbai Marathon triumph

    Media veteran Yesudas S Pillai and his personal Tata Mumbai Marathon triumph

    MUMBAI: You don’t seem to be getting  it right, no matter how hard you try, should you just surrender and give up? 

    Surrender yes, but, don’t give up , is  the advice of media veteran Yesudas Pillai.

    Yesu  completed the  Tata Mumbai Marathon half marathon with a time  of 2:20 : 36 seconds on the morning of 19 January. In the process, he shaved 10-20 minutes off what he had managed to clock over the past couple of seasons. His  determination and hard work paid off. This milestone victory is the culmination of months of intense training and dedication for Yesu.

    After struggling with his fitness last season, averaging times between 2 hours 30  minutes and 2 hours 40 minutes  he vowed to rebuild and push himself to new heights. The result is a testament to his unwavering commitment to fitness and his ability to overcome adversity.(His previous personal best is 2:02 minutes, however). 

    “I’m overjoyed and humbled by my achievement,” Pillai said. “It’s not just about the time; it’s about the journey, the struggles, and the triumphs. I believe that setbacks are an opportunity for growth, and this experience has taught me to stay focused and push through difficulties. “

    “It’s hard to put into words how it feels to see the results of sheer determination and hard work. This is more than just about a marathon; it’s a reminder that setbacks aren’t the end—they’re just a setup for comebacks,” he added. “To anyone struggling in their own race, remember: progress is progress, no matter how small. Keep pushing, keep believing, and trust the process. The finish line feels that much sweeter when you’ve earned it.”

    Yesu’s  impressive feat showcases his remarkable resilience and perseverance. His journey to run long distance is a true inspiration to anyone striving to achieve their goals.

    As a successful entrepreneur, Yesu has built a reputation for driving innovation and excellence in the business world. His company, Y&A Transformation, helps enterprises connect with their customers by simplifying complex practices and leveraging cognitive and intuitive approaches.

    In addition to his entrepreneurial pursuits, Yesu is an avid cyclist and marathon runner, with a proven track record of 28 years in business building. He has founded and led successful ventures like Triggerbridge and has been involved in various business initiatives, including the launch of Channel Factory, a YouTube measurement partner certified by Google.

    Yesu’s achievements are a testament to his boundless energy, dedication, and innovative spirit. His remarkable accomplishment in the Tata Mumbai Marathon serves as a reminder that, with determination and hard work, anything is possible.

  • Running in life and the marathon, the Sunil Lulla way

    Running in life and the marathon, the Sunil Lulla way

    MUMBAI: Numbers… It has always been about numbers and statistics for Sunil Lulla. This comes as no surprise for someone who has over 35 years of experience in leadership roles across media (TV, internet, and OTT), advertising and marketing and is now CEO at BARC India. But it’s not the data, statistics and viewership numbers that fascinate Lulla the most. It’s the miles he runs that give him akick.

    “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” These words by T.S. Eliot perfectly sum up Lulla’s feisty yet humble personality.

    Anavid long-distance runner, Lulla also enjoys sailing andwitty conversations. In a free-wheeling chat with indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari, Lulla spoke about running marathons locally and internationally, his love of sports and much more.

    Watch the virtual fireside chat with Sunil Lulla 

    Earlier this year, Lulla encountered an unexpected setback – he tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. But he put up a tough fight, beat the virus and emerged the stronger for it. Then, as a responsible citizen, he donated his blood plasma twice. Looking back on his brush with Covid2019, Lulla advises people to live their life normally, observe necessary precautions and to be respectful but unafraid of the SarsCov2 virus.

    Runner’s high

    As long as a person’s legs function, they should run, says Lulla. He considers running not only a great physical workout but also a mental stimulant.

    “I think running the distance gives you the courage, stamina and inspiration. It helps me to think of new things. It’s because of the adrenaline that runs and pumps through your body,” he said.

    Read more news on Sunil Lulla

    Like many of us who try to keep our middle and weight in check, Lulla started running with the desire to lose a little flab. Eventually he started enjoying it, and also made some friends along the way.

    Lulla advocates running, for it helps a person stay healthy and productive. He believes what you do with your health and body allows you to do what you want with your life.

    “It’s the desire to be on the road, to try and push yourself and to do better that keeps me going. Long-distance runs are not easy. In the end, it’s about your own aspiration. I don’t look at running from a benchmark point of view,” he added.

    For Lulla, it’s about setting goals – and surpassing them. The sheer zeal to overtake life’s challenges and doing what you envision is not everybody’s cup of tea. Lulla seems to have mastered this art.

    He recalls a marathon he ran in New York last year. He completed the 42 km run in just four hours and 13 minutes. Ecstatic about this experience, Lulla shares: “Running in six degree temperature was not easy. We are not used to running in such weather here in India. New York was a tough road. It starts with the runners having to climb uphill on a 2 km long bridge. I think the most amazing part about New York is its crowd. Brooklyn is a deafening, especially the last stretch, it’s like Eden Gardens where the last ball is going to be bowled and the match is heading towards a tie. Then there are dark patches of absolutely death-like silence. But it’s a great crowd and great run. It was my dream and I am glad I could do it.”

    He’s full of admiration for peers like Sudhanshu Vats as well as businessman Anil Ambani who run the marathon distance in super quick time. Says he: “Those guys are pros, all respect for them.”

    Unfortunately, there are no races this year due toCovid2019 pandemic. Lulla nevertheless pounds the pavements, pretending he’s running a race. He’s hopeful that once things return to normal, he’ll be able to take part in the Berlin marathon.

    Winning a race is a cocktail of tears and sweat. Yet one persists, spurred on by their ambitions to excel and emerge triumphant. Lulla is definitely an inspiration for anybody who is apprehensive of the challenges life throws atus.

  • redBus partners with Hiranandani POWAI RUN 2020 to offer shuttle services to runners of the year’s first marathon

    redBus partners with Hiranandani POWAI RUN 2020 to offer shuttle services to runners of the year’s first marathon

    Mumbai: redBus, the world’s largest online bus ticketing platform, has associated with Hiranandani Powai Run-2020, one of Mumbai’s leading marathons that attract thousands of participants each year from all age groups. The event is scheduled to be held on Sunday, 5th January 2020, at Hiranandani Gardens in Powai, Mumbai.

    Hiranandani Powai Run has been witnessing tremendous participation each year from runners across the country, who take great enthusiasm for the event, as they sprint along the beautiful Powai Lake, making it exciting and memorable. The upcoming 9th edition allows participants to choose either, 4 Km, 10 Km or 21 Km for the run in order to suit various endurance levels and brings with it the convenience of pick-up and drop facility to the venue from redBus.

    redBus has identified 4 prominent pick-up points – Bandra, Andheri, Vashi and Dadar, from where runners can board busses at 3:45 AM, for the run that begins at 05:00 AM. The facility is being offered to participants of the 10 KM and 21 KM run, with drop being offered from the finish line to the start line. The bus fare for the pick-up and drop is Rupees 375. Participants can log on to https://www.redbus.in/powairun to book tickets, the window to which closes at 02 PM on 4th January.

  • Kids’ channels and Children’s Day programming

    Kids’ channels and Children’s Day programming

    MUMBAI: For kids’ channels, Children’s Day is the most important day of the year. Despite not raking in any special reach or viewership, channels yet air special episodes for their young audiences.

    Discovery Kids and Sony YAY! will be airing special episodes throughout the day. Sony YAY! will run a Movies Marathon with back to back Honey Bunny movies right from 9 am throughout the day. Similarly, Discovery Kids will have new episodes on two IPs- Fukrey Boyzzz and Little Singham. The channels are promoting their fresh line-up across their networks.

    Sony YAY! business head Leena Lele Dutta said, “We keep doing activities and initiatives for our audience on their special day being the most significant day. I don't know why schools don't give a holiday. It is actually a full day for children but we keep them entertained. With Movie Marathon, the entire day is going to be filled with movies from our Honey Bunny catalogue which is Crazy Family Adventure, Train Chase to Haunted House, etc. So it will be playing on a loop for the entire day. We will be promoting the same on our channel and our network channels like Sab for appointment viewing.”

    Discovery Kids head Uttam Pal Singh said, “We are doing an extension of our recently-launched show Fukrey Boyzzz. When we launched our new IP, we had its extension plan for Children’s Day also. We have new episodes for Fukrey Boyzzz as a Children’s Day special. We have a second IP Little Singham for which we have a 60-min long special episode – Junglee Joker Jaayega Rokar on 14 November at 11.30 am. Kids will enjoy both our IPs together. Children’s Day is not a designated holiday. Kids have school that day so we have extended the flavour of our new episodes from 14 to 17 November – four-day long programming.”

    With regards to ratings and viewership on Children’s Day, channels don’t see any significant changes in the numbers. “We celebrate children throughout the year; it's not just one day. For us, it's an everyday effort of how do we connect with kids and how can we celebrate that. In terms of reach and ratings, Children’s Day does not shape up well. It’s our efforts because we club it not just for a day but for the week, so that we, hopefully, see some spark coming up for the channel with this programming,” said Singh.

    Even Dutta agreed that the channel doesn’t see any rise in viewership on Children’s Day as kids have school. She said, “The important thing is for them to be associated with Children's Day possibly extending the day over the weekend. That is why our association with the leading hotel chain is also over the weekend over brunch. There is no spike in viewership as such. It's not a special holiday for them to sit and binge-watch.”

    Sony YAY! also associated with a leading hotel chain for children's day where they will have a Honey Bunny sponsored brunch. It will be called Brunch with Honey Bunny. The toons will be present and the entire menu and dishes will be based on shows and movies of the channel. “We are also doing an association with Crossword. Parents and kids come together and for a day, the parent becomes the child. So we are not only celebrating Children’s Day for kids, but also the child in a parent,” informed Dutta.

    The channel also has a CSR initiative with an NGO. The kids will watch movies, play games and solve crosswords and puzzles.

    Kids-specific plot points will be played out on Sony Marathi’s Maharashtrachya Hasya Jatraa and on Sony SAB TV’s Aladdin – NaamTohSunaHoga. Again, it will be centred on Honey Bunny, kids and Aladdin. “So we are doing an all-rounded association that year on year we keep building in order to make it bigger and better. This year, unfortunately, Children's Day is on a weekday. Had it been on a weekend it would have been more robust. Having said that, the scale at which we are doing on-air and on-ground is quite large,” opined Dutta.

    Even Nickelodeon India has launched the campaign – #Khulke Bolo – encouraging kids to be themselves and speak openly without any fear and filter. Speaking about the campaign, Viacom18 Hindi Mass Entertainment & Kids TV Network Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “We at Nickelodeon keep children at the core of all that we do and on their special day, we want to celebrate kids with all their quirks and innocence. With this innovative campaign, we want to encourage and empower children to speak their mind openly and fearlessly. This Children’s Day, Nickelodeon urges all to speak their mind and bring out the child within.”
     

    Apart from kids’ channels some of the English GECs have also planned a special line-up for kids. Romedy NOW has curated a special property ‘Naughty & Nice’, which will showcase a line-up of animated movies including Mune, Sherlock Gnomes, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and Sing from 10.15 am to 4.15 pm.

    Star Movies also unveiled its exciting line-up with the “Pop-Up Theatre: For the Kids” property. A line-up of interesting movies will air on 13 and 14 November 2019 from 4 pm onwards. Besides this, the channel is also bringing Deadpool for the very first time on Indian television on 17 November at 1 pm and 9 pm. Star Movies’ Pop-Up Theatre will air movies like The Boss Baby, COCO, Ferdinand, Incredibles 2, Baby’s Day Out and The Toy Story 3.

  • Tata Mumbai Marathon 2018 raises over Rs 34.36 crores, shattering all previous records

    Tata Mumbai Marathon 2018 raises over Rs 34.36 crores, shattering all previous records

    MUMBAI: The Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) is much more than a Marathon, it is a showcase for the ‘Can do… Will Do’ spirit of humanity. The event transcends sport and encourages the ‘Power of the Collective’ to make a difference. The event has ignited a spirit of giving, empowering countless individuals to bond with civil society for the change they want to see in it.

    United Way of Mumbai, the event’s philanthropy partner, continued their commitment towards charity and shattered all previous records raising over Rs. 34.36 crores, an unprecedented achievement.

    With this, the cumulative amount raised by the event in 15 years since its inception in 2004 has breached the Rs 200 crores mark, standing at an impressive Rs. 229.16 crores today. This re-affirms TMM as the single largest sporting platform for philantrophy in India.

    ‘Giving’ through TMM reached a new high as 262 NGOs, 169 Corporates, 266 teams, 231 Young Leaders along with thousands of individual donors and fundraisers came forward to support a host of social causes including Education, Disability, Health Care, Women Empowerment, Children, Animal Welfare & Environment, Livelihood, Social, Civic & Community Development, Art, Elderly, and Gender among others.

    Commenting on the occasion, Jayanti Shukla, Executive Director, United Way Mumbai, said, “”From humble beginnings in 2004, the Mumbai Marathon has grown by leaps and bounds in the charity domain. Each year, our supporters – individuals, corporates and charities – raise the bar and raise incredible amounts of funds, always surpassing past results and setting new benchmarks. This year we have raised Rs. 34.36 crores for 262 charities! Also, we have the contribution of incredible individuals like Mr. Sankara Raman, who has raised Rs.1.32 crores for Amar Seva Sangam, becoming the highest fundraising individual in the history of the Mumbai Marathon. The scale of achievement in philanthropy makes the Tata Mumbai Marathon a unique event; highly anticipated every year. I would like to thank each and every one who has contributed to the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2018. Without their efforts, this achievement would not be possible!”

    “The Tata Group has always believed that the community is core to our existence and we are delighted that the Tata Mumbai Marathon has become such an important annual event to raise awareness and funds about various social causes. Our heartiest congratulations to all those runners who have successfully made an impact by participating in the Tata Mumbai Marathon,” said Harish Bhat, Brand Custodian, Tata Sons.

    Sharing the pride, Vivek B Singh, Joint MD of Procam International said, “We are glad that through Tata Mumbai Marathon we have been able to awaken not only a passion for running in the maximum city but also a spirit of giving – helping us all #BeBetter human beings. It is inspiring to see citizens of this country open up their hearts for a cause and go that extra mile to create a positive impact. We are extremely proud and compliment the exemplary work done by the fund-raisers, in making the philanthropy pillar stronger. Together with the team at United Way, we shall continue to expand the philanthropy base of the event and make it even more appealing”

    The 2018 edition of the event has truly represented the mantra – #BEBETTER. Today NGOs, corporate entities, and individuals are the triumvirates of transformation – continually pushing the envelope for a positive social change. Some highlights of TMM 2018:

    The introduction of a new 10Km race distance via charity added a new dimension to the race garnering the participation of 1100 individuals.

    Growing year-on-year, a remarkable example of fundraising has been the Young Leaders category. This year, 112 Young Leaders below the age of 21 years raised INR 2.01 crores for their respective NGOs. The youngest fundraiser was only 3 years old. Out of this total, 29 Young Leaders are also Change Runners, who have gone beyond the minimum target set in support of their chosen cause.

    The torchbearers of social change are the Change Icons –  Sankara Raman, Ms. Villy Doctor, V.S. Parthasarathy, K. V. S. Manian, Ms. Shanti Ekambaram, Sadashiv S. Rao, and Abhay Jasani who have collectively raised INR 4,99,21,147 for seven NGOs. It is interesting to note – Tamil Nadu’s wheelchair-bound Sankara Raman individually raised INR 1.32 crores for Amar Seva Sangam, highest by any fundraiser in the history of the event!

    For the first time ever, the top six NGOs have raised more than INR 1 crore each – Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care, Amar Seva Sangam, Isha Vidhya, Cancer Patients Aid Association, K. C. Mahindra Education Trust and Life of Lite Trust collectively raised INR  8,58,40,925

    169 corporates participated in the Tata Mumbai Marathon, fielding 266 teams and raising INR 19.47 crore for 98 NGOs.
    TATA MUMBAI MARATHON – FUND-RAISER WINNERS ACROSS DIFFERENT CATEGORIES

    NGOs

    o   Highest Fundraising NGO: Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care – INR 3,46,24,875

    o   2nd Highest Fundraising NGO: Amar Seva Sangam – INR 1,43,23,340

    o   3rd Highest Fundraising NGO: Isha Vidhya – INR 1,32,00,314

    o   4th Highest Fundraising NGO: Cancer Patients Aid Association INR 1,20,01,893

    o   5th Light of Life Trust – INR 1,16,90,504

    CORPORATE TEAM

    o   Highest Fundraising Corporate: Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.– INR 1,77,53,772

    o   2nd Highest Fundraising Corporate: Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd. – INR 1,32,01,621

    o   3rd Highest Fundraising Corporate: Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. – INR 72,65,379

    YOUNG LEADERS

    o   Highest Fundraising Young Leader / Change Champion: Siddharth Dutt Roncon –

    INR 25, 25,252

    o   2nd Highest Fundraising Young Leader: Malini Kohli – INR 16,33,350

    CHANGE CHAMPIONS – Individuals committing to raise INR 25 lakhs and up to INR 49.99 lakh

    o   Highest Fundraiser: Manish Kothari – INR 33,02,128

    CHANGE ICONS – Individuals committing to raise INR 50 lakhs or above

    o   Highest Fundraiser: Sankara Raman – INR 1,32,35,002

    o   2nd Highest Fundraiser: Ms. Villy Doctor – INR 73,60,169

    o   TMM Change Icon: V.S. Parthasarathy – INR 72,65,379

    o   TMM Change Icon: K. V. S. Manian – INR 62,21,100

    o   TMM Change Icon: Ms. Shanti Ekambaram – INR 57,19,000

    o   TMM Change Icon: Sadashiv S. Rao – INR 51,20,500

    o   TMM Change Icon: Abhay Jasani – INR 50,00,000

  • Reebok India launches Running Squad for Delhi Half Marathon 2013

    Reebok India launches Running Squad for Delhi Half Marathon 2013

    MUMBAI: Reinforcing its commitment to fitness in India, Reebok has announced the ‘Reebok Running Squad’. The initiative is aimed at training consumers for the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon scheduled to take place on 15 December 2013.

     

    An integral part of the Reebok Fit India movement, the Reebok Running Squad provides consumers professional training and guidance across seven locations in New Delhi.  Runners will also get a chance to earn their Reebok branded special runner kits, personalised training schedules and many more exciting prizes., A former national level marathon and Arjuna award recipient Sunita Godara is the master trainer for the program.

     

    The Reebok Running Squad has been specially designed keeping in mind that running the half marathon requires stamina, endurance and strength. According to adidas India managing director Erick Haskell, “Reebok is committed to fitness and through our initiatives we wish to engage the customer at every touch point and encourage them to adopt the philosophy of ‘Fit for Life’. Reebok Running Squad is a one of a kind fitness initiative which has been designed to specifically train consumers to run a half marathon or develop the right running technique for their everyday run. We hope that through this initiative we can encourage more and more people to participate in regular fitness activities and lead a more active and healthy lifestyle’’  

     

    The Reebok Running Squad training program will begin on 15 October 2013 and will include eleven weeks of grueling workouts.

  • Farhan Akhtar sets your pulse racing with Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

    Farhan Akhtar sets your pulse racing with Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

    MUMBAI: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is a marathon account of an Indian sprint runner, Milkha Singh, also known as the Flying Sikh, who failed to win the 1960 Olympic Bronze Medal by a whisker. It is a marathon because the film has a running time of three hours seven minutes and 48 seconds. They make two films in this kind of duration nowadays. This is bound to happen when the editor is also the director; utterly in love with all the footage he has shot.

    Milkha is a young Sikh child in united India enjoying the love and affection of his family elders. Along with a friend, he travels miles and crosses a river to go to school. They are handed punishments when late. The happiness comes to an end as India is partitioned and people are slaughtered on both sides. Milkha watches his family members being killed while he manages to run. He arrives in Delhi at a refugee camp where after a few days he finds his sister, Divya Dutta, and her husband.

    Milkha soon learns that to survive in this camp, he will have to become tough. There are hooligans around, ready to use muscle power and push people around. Milkha is welcomed to a gang and soon becomes a full time criminal, wielding a knife and stealing coal from train engines. His aimless life finds a purpose when he comes across Sonam Kapoor. Chasing her becomes part of his daily routine until one day he proposes to her and she taunts him about his illegal ways. Milkha promises her that he will mend his ways and requests her to wait for him till he becomes worthy of her.

    Milkha succeeds in joining an army training centre in Secunderabad and qualifies for the Services. Thanks to the lure of an extra ration of milk and two eggs as well as exemption from fatigue drill, Milkha volunteers for athletic qualification. This is where his potential is gradually realised by the Services coach Pawan Malhotra and honed to perfection. Milkha has a dream of wearing the blazer with the Ashok Chakra emblem and for that he needs to qualify for the national team. As Milkha gets better with each passing day, his rivals in the field attack him and hurt him so as to end his running career. The attack only makes Milkha more determined; Milkha breaks the national record even while he is running heats with injured legs.

    Milkha‘s training is now passed over to the athletics national coach, Yograj Singh, and the training becomes more rigorous. Milkha finally earns his national blazer. He is now ready to surprise his sister and Sonam; instead he is the one who is surprised. Sonam has long been married off with no forwarding address.

    Milkha is on his way to Melbourne as part of the Indian contingent to participate in the 1956 Olympics. Here, he indulges in a fling which, coupled with his inexperience, costs him the race. He loses the race as well as face. He swears to shatter the world record and again the tougher routine of training starts. Milkha does manage to break the record and wins Asian Games and Commonwealth Games medals in 1958 and 1962. But when it comes to the crunch, in the 1960 Rome Olympics, Milkha disappoints.

    Despite winning all heats and starting off very well, he loses out on the bronze medal in a photo finish, coming in fourth. Dramatically, in the film this is equated with his escape run from killers chasing him during the partition massacre which plays in his mind as he runs and he makes the mistake of looking behind which costs him a medal.

    The film begins with Milkha losing the Rome Olympics and goes into flashback, emerging into the current event of sending a team to Pakistan on a goodwill gesture. The Pakistan part is the masterstroke of the maker as to an Indian mindset, it does not matter if Milkha has lost to anybody as long as he wins over a Pakistani rival. He outruns the Pakistani champion by lengths and earns the title ‘The Flying Sikh‘ from the then Pakistani President, Ayub Khan.

    Biopics are a format that does not go well with Indian film lovers. Best of our leaders‘ stories have failed at the box office and Milkha Singh was a sports hero from the distant past with whom few can identify today. The problem with Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is that Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has turned this biopic into a documentary; it stops being the story of his life and gets into the rigours of training, which is never-ending and tedious for the viewer. There is little of human interest (as in Paan Singh Tomar) and romance is just namesake. Richard Attenborough‘s Gandhi should be an example to follow for anyone wishing to make a biopic. It could have been a film about Milkha‘s sports life with a sprinkling of personal life that is relevant to sports. After all, sport is what he is known for.

    Mehra has gone into details of the period painstakingly, no doubt. If only he knew when to stop, as a lot of stuff feels exaggerated. The space for songs has been forced in most cases as the story offers little scope. Dialogue is effective. Editing is missing. Camerawork is impressive. The film, to whatever degree it is watchable, is thanks to an outstanding performance by Farhan Akhtar. His dedication and honesty brings Milkha alive on screen. Equally impressive is Jabtej Singh as the young Milkha. Pawan Arora is excellent. Yograj Singh is good. Prakash Raj is a bit too paunchy for the army instructor. Sonam Kapoor has nothing to do and has a very brief role. Divya Dutta is cut out for the role she plays and is good as usual.

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is a slow moving account of Milkha Singh, a sprinter, which will have limited box office as all sports and biopic films have a limited range. While the appreciation will be ample along with awards, it won‘t translate into rewards. 

     

    Sixteen… Is no longer sweet

     

    Producers: Shailesh R Singh, Vishwas Joshi.
    Director: Raj Purohit.
    Cast: Izabelle Liette, Wamiqa Gabbi, Mehak, Highphil Methew.

    Being a girl in Delhi is considered a bit dicey. So Sixteen is about three girls and a boy from Delhi of the contemporary age and era who are still in school but get into all kinds of trouble adults would not dare to. The film has only negative stories that happen in the life of all four characters. Why isn‘t there a single positive story, a single beacon with a guiding example?

    The girls are lead by the prettiest and boldest of the three, Izabelle Liette, who leads by example in that she does not think much of sleeping around. She keeps goading her friends, Mehak and Wamiqa, to go ahead and not make much ado about preserving their virginity. Mehak wants to but at the right time with the right guy. Wamiqa has a problem in that the boy she loves does not care for her while the one who loves her, Highphil Methews, does not excite her; she considers him as only her best friend.

    Methews has a father, Zakir Husain, who drives him hard. He wants his son to become an IAS officer. The son is always on the receiving end of his violent moods. Liette has rich parents and is granted all the freedom and a credit card but not the attention and the ears of her parents. Mehak adores her father and would never do anything to let him down. He in turn trusts her totally and gives her the freedom a teenage girl would seek. Wamiqa has only an aunt as her family, her parents having been among the victims of a city cinema hall fire.

    While generally the girls have a good time as and when they can, each faces a phase in which they let down not only their folks but also themselves. Liette sees her father at a disco getting intimate with a woman. On questioning, she is told that her mother too is in a relationship with someone else and that theirs is an open marriage! Liette is shocked at the revelation. Wamiqa has fallen in love with the paying guest in her house, Keith Sequiera, who is twice her age. But she soon learns that her aunt too has fallen for him. She is shattered. Mehak finally sleeps with the boy she loves from her school only to become pregnant and must have an abortion, which gets complicated. Methews comes home dejected when he is told by Wamiqa that she only considers him a friend while he loved her deeply. But he is welcomed home by his angry father who has just found nudes on his computer. It proves a wrong day for Husain to pick on his son; Methews ends up killing him. He runs away and gets into more crimes.

    All four survive the turmoil in their lives to emerge more confident of themselves and caring for their peers.

    Sixteen is bleak in most parts. The girls, Wamiqa, Liette, Mehak and the boy, Methews are all natural. Seqiuera and Prableen Kaur are good. Husain, as usual, is good. Music is okay.

    Released at limited screens, Sixteen will, in all probability, go unnoticed.