NEW DELHI: Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar on Sunday complimented the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troops and officers along with other security forces personnel for working tirelessly and for even laying down their lives in the line of duty.
The cricketer was the Chief Guest at the half-marathon, organised by CRPF to honour its martyrs in the 75th year of its establishment.
The marathon was flagged off from the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium as a number of students, youngsters, police and paramilitary personnel ran for the designated 21-kms of the half-marathon in the city.
“You are the protectors of this nation. We are able to celebrate festivals at home with our families because you make the sacrifice and render your duties by remaining away from your homes and families during these happy times,” he told CRPF personnel.
Sachin was flanked by other sporting heroes like boxer Vijender Singh, wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt and Sushil Kumar, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, Ajit Pal Singh, Zafar Iqbal, Sweta Chaudhary and veteran actor and national shooter Nana Patekar during the event.
The CRPF, raised in 1939, renders a host of internal security tasks like countering insurgency in the northeast and combating militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. It has been mandated by the government as the lead anti-Naxal operations force in the country where it has deployed close to a lakh troops.
A total of Rs 19.10 lakh in prize money was given to the winners of the half-marathon in various categories.
In order to pay tribute to its martyrs, the CRPF has marked the trophies (of this half-marathon) in the names of its various ‘Shaheed’ personnel.
Indrajit Patel, who won in men category, was awarded with cash prize of Rs 3 lakh and Shaheed Bhrigunandan (Kirti Chakra) Memorial Trophy. Runners up Ajaivir Singh bagged Shaheed Ashish (Shaurya Chakra) Memorial Trophy and cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh while Rajiram clinched third prize of Rs. 1 lakh and Shaheed V.T Mathew (PPMG) Memorial Trophy.
In the women category, Monika won first prize and was awarded with Shaheed Kamlesh Kumari (Ashok Chakra) Memorial Trophy and Rs. 3 lakh cash prize, second prize winner Wahida received cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh and Shaheed Santosh (PPMG) Memorial Trophy while Monica was awarded with Rs. 1 lakh and Shaheed Mahadev (PPMG) Memorial Trophy for clinching third prize.
Dilip Trivedi, commented, “Our endeavour through the CRPF Marathon-Run for Unity was to bring people of Delhi together in the true spirit of solidarity and patriotic fervour. We are pleased to see the tremendous response to the event and are encouraged to keep up the momentum in coming years.”
Dy. Commandant of CRPF, R.K Singh, who lost one of his legs in an encounter with naxals in Chhattisgarh (and has prosthetic legs), also participated in the run.
The winners were later awarded by actor John Abraham and CRPF Director General Dilip Trivedi.
