14 January 2024 was an exceptional Sunday morning for Punekars, Even before the sun showed up, more than 8000 runners got together at the Poonawalla Fincorp Bombay Sappers Soldierathon organized at The Bombay Sappers, Dighi Hills to gear up for the trail run. One could experience jitters & goosebumps when the proud Indians started singing the national anthem with complete solidarity in honor of our soldiers who lost their lives while serving the Nation.
The event organized by Fitistan – Ek Fit Bharat and presented by Poonawalla Fincorp was nothing short of spectacular.
From the flawlessly managed race expo, race entry and parking to the hydration & energy points, breakfast arrangements, quality, and design of t-shirts, Zumba sessions, the motivating speech by Army Commander Lt Gen A. K. Singh and most importantly the spirit of the soldiers and the runners injected adrenaline in the air itself. Yes, you could breathe the Josh!
The soldiers didn’t stop just at this, their Mallakhamba and Gatka show took the crowd by storm. From a 4-year-old to an 88-year-old ran, saluted, commemorated, and inspired others for a healthier and fitter Bharat.
Abhay Bhutada, Managing Director, Poonawalla Fincorp said, “It was heartening to see the great response for this marathon. I would like to thank all the Punekars who participated in big numbers in this soldierathon to celebrate the bravery and courage of our soldiers. We are forever grateful for the selfless contribution and sacrifices made by our brave hearts and would like to express my sincere gratitude towards Major Surendra Poonia, VSM for organizing this event. We believe in the physical and mental wellbeing of our society and this marathon gave an opportunity to fitness enthusiasts from all walks of life to run shoulder to shoulder with our bravehearts. Poonawalla Fincorp stands firmly behind our armed forces and will always support such initiatives.”
Some esteemed & notable names like Upendra Rai, CMD and Editor-in-Chief, Bharat Express News Network, Lalit Pophale, Sanmati, Blade Runner Col DD Goel, and Blind Runner Asif were present throughout cheering the audience and supporting our runners.
Brig Patwardhan, Commandant, Bombay Sappers & Abhay Bhutada, Managing Director, Poonawalla Fincorp gave away the prizes and congratulated all the participants for making this event such a huge success.
Ms Shilpa Bhagat, founder of Fitistan said, “Am truly overwhelmed and joyous that we managed to pull off our first two back-to-back marathons in military campus of CME, College of Military Engineering and Bombay Sappers successfully in a short span of 25 days. It wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Indian Army, our esteemed sponsors, and our participants. Heartfelt gratitude to them.”
Major Surendra Poonia, VSM, the visionary behind Soldierathon seemed proud and satisfied that his mission towards getting the civilians closer to the army and supporting the martyr’s family has taken a long stride.
Krissh and Yassh Somani, 15-year-old twins of the S.K. Somani trust contributed INR 10 lakhs to Bombay Sappers for the welfare of our soldiers.
It was not just an ordinary run. It was a symbol of human grit, sacrifice, and resilience. Each stride elevated the spirit taking the Soldierathon to a new height!
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