Kalimpong Half Marathon 2016

KalimNews, Kalimpong, 9 March 2016: Run with Roshni Foundation ( RWRF) is supporting under privileged Gorkha runners from the District of Darjeeling to run marathons in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Shillong, Bangalore and Daman since 2012. The main vision of RWRF is to eliminate the identity crisis faced by Indian Gorkhas in their own motherland and to create the Gorkha runners, who will win Olympic Marathons for India.

RWRF is a registered Charity trust under no. E-9383/15/T with its office at 602, C-Wing, Bellevista, Next to D.Y Patil College, Sector-15, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai- 400614.

To select the best runners from the District of Darjeeling, it organises Kalimpong Half Marathon every year on 1^st May. From this marathon, it selects three boys and three girls, who will come in first, second and third position to run Mumbai Marathon in January every year. These six runners should be local runners from the District of Darjeeling.

Mumbai Marathon is the only international standard marathon of India and to participate in the same, one has to qualify by running a marathon organised by State Athletic Federation of India. Unfortunately, in Darjeeling it does not have any marathon, which will help runners to qualify for Mumbai Marathon, however after seeing the performance of the Gorkha runners from the team Run with Roshni, organisers of Mumbai Marathon has started accepting the six registrations, which are selected from Kalimpong Half Marathon.

The winners of Kalimpong Half Marathon 2015 were –

Among boys;-

1.    Sanjay Rai,

2.    San Kumar Darnal and

3.    Laxuman Chettri. All the runners are the students of Algarah High School.

Among Girls ;–

1.    Roshni Tamang,

2.    Adipa Rai and

3.    Aashika Rai (she had come in the 4^th position however Afshana Tamang, who came in 3^rd position was underage hence she got the chance to run Mumbai Half Marathon. Roshni Tamang and Afshana Tamang are the students of St. George’s HS School Pedong. Adipa Rai and Ashika Rai are the students of Panchawati High School, Shelpu near Shitong.

Roshni Tamang and Laxuman Chettri were not 18yrs old in January 2016, hence we sponsored them to run Daman Wind Marathon in December 2015 in which Roshni Tamang came in 4^th position and she got the prize money of Rs.5000/-, where as Laxuman Chettri came in 7^th position and he got the prize money of Rs.2000/-. Sanjay Rai, Sankumar Darnal, Adipa Rai and Ashika Rai were sponsored to run Mumbai Half Marathon on 17^th Jan, 2016 in which they performed very well.

RWRF invite the runners from all over Darjeeling, who are 17yrs and six months above to participate in Kalimpong Half Marathon, which is on 1^st May, 2016. To participate in Mumbai Marathon, one has to be 18 yrs and above.

Registrations forms are available for the local runners in the following address;

1.    In Pedong- Party Office, Pedong Bazar. Contact person- Bikash Tamang 8145832294.

2.    In Kalimpong- Premika Medical Stores, Next to Dr. Ali’s Chamber, 1^st Floor, Maa Super Market, Kalimpong. Contact Persons- Ranjeet Rai-8906957337 and Bikram Thapa- 8170891539.

3.    In Darjeeling- Rotary Club of Darjeeling. Contact person- Mr. Prolad Roka- 9434047022.

4.    Runners from Kurseong and Algarah may Contact- Zambala Guest House, Algarah. Contact person -Mr. Tshering Dorjee Bhutia - 9002712244.

RWRF is looking for volunteers to help with the registration in Siliguri. Otherwise, any runners interested to run Kalimpong Half Marathon from the places, may email to runwithroshni@gmail.com

Last date for submitting the registration forms is 10^th April, 2016 and registration fee for students of Darjeeling District (only) is Rs.100/- (one hundred only). For others registration fee is Rs. 1000 /- (One thousand only), which will include one night accommodation in sharing basis including very simple dinner in Pedong.

This year Kalimpong Half Marathon will start from Pedong and finish at Kalimpong. Free accommodation support in Pedong for the students coming from remote and far off places of Darjeeling District is sought for.

For the runners coming from outside Darjeeling District, three nights’ accommodation and food in Pedong is provided. Registration fee for the runners travelling alone is Rs.5000/- (Five Thousand only) in which one has to share a room with another runner. Registration fee for the runners travelling with family is Rs.10000/- (Ten Thousand only). One can do the registration by following the link below; http://youtoocanrun.com/races/kalimpong-half-marathon-2016/

Six winners will be selected only from the local runners, hence submitting the address proof is mandatory for the local runners. Last year five runners from Mumbai and Shillong participated and this year more runners are expected to join. The main intention of this run is to inspire more local youths to take up running seriously.

It is also looking for the sponsors to support for organising this Kalimpong Half Marathon 2016.