Brand Tikhor makes an impression
SHILLONG: What was only a buzz till now became a loud chant in unison when Chief Minister Mukul Sangma flagged off the “Run for North East” from the Fire Brigade ground here on a bright Thursday morning.
The run, a 5 km mini marathon, turned out to be a major boost for the upcoming 12th South Asian Games and brand Tikhor, its mascot.
Shillong woke up to the enthusiasm of the “Run for North East” as a host of dignitaries and hundreds of people gathered to be part of the event which so to say marked the countdown for the Games to be co-hosted by the city from February 6-16.
There was certain buzz on the city roads staring at the “Run for North East” banners put up all along the route of the marathon from Fire Brigade to Polo grounds as people thronged the venue from where the run was to kick start.
The opening ceremony of the run was attended by ace Indian boxers MC Mary Kom and L Sarita Devi, Bollywood star Milind Soman, Athletics Federation of India President A Sumariwalla, CEO South Asian Games (Shillong), RK Sharma, Joint CEO South Asian Games (Shillong) and Commissioner and Secretary, Youth Affairs and Sports, F R Kharkongor, Director of Sports and Youth Affairs, F M Dopth, Sports Minister Zenith Sangma, Health Minister, A L Hek, Urban Affairs Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh and president of Meghalaya State Olympic Association, John Kharshiing among others.
Mary Kom turned out to be the undisputed star of the morning grabbing maximum attention.
Meanwhile, addressing the gathering prior to the start of the run, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that it was only befitting that the “Run for North East” which served as a prelude to the SAG coincided with Meghalaya Day. He also said that it was a privilege for the State to host a sporting event of such magnitude. Sangma also wished luck to all athletes scheduled to take part in the event.
Actor Milind Soman, meanwhile, revealed his association with the South Asian Games as a participant in the late 1980s.
Later the mascot of the 12th SAG, Tikhor handed over the relay torch to CEO SAG (Shillong) R K Sharma who passed it over to Sports Minister Zenith Sangma and subsequently to the Chief Guest, Mukul Sangma. The Chief Minister handed over the torch to Mary Kom who kick-started the mini marathon. The ace boxer handed over the torch to Milind Suman at the Fire Brigade junction and the torch changed hands again at St Edmund’s gate when Sarita Devi took over.
The crowd of participants, meanwhile, joined the celebrities in the run till Polo. Interestingly, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma followed the torch on foot all the way to Polo where a closing ceremony of the Run for North East was held.
Performances by bands and other artistes followed at the first ground, Polo even as renowned sports personalities of the state—Fullmoon Pyrthuh (football), Ailad Kynta (football), L Suting (football) Edward Mawthoh (kick boxing), Torak Kharpran (boxing), Benningstar Lyngkhoi (athlete), Linza Syiem (karetaka), Bansara Dhar (archery) and Wansuk Myrthong (mountaineering)—were felicitated.