The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday felicitated the winners of Kashmir Marathon-2025 in Srinagar.
The Full & Half Marathon, 42 KMs and 21 KMs respectively, was organized by the J&K Tourism Department and 1100 runners from 27 States, Union Territories and 11 foreign countries participated in this mega international event in Kashmir.
Addressing the participants, Marathon enthusiasts and officials, the Lieutenant Governor said the soaring spirit of 1100 runners is a testament to Marathon's ability to unite them and strengthen the brotherhood through shared experiences.
"Within two years since its launch, Kashmir Marathon has become one of the most prestigious running tournaments in the country. It has infused a sense of pride and passion among people and inspiring a new generation of runners. I am confident that in the near future, the Kashmir Marathon will boost further interest and participation and it will be a major economic catalyst for our tourism sector," he said.
Emphasising the importance of the Kashmir Marathon and significant transformation achieved by J&K UT since 2019, Sinha told the International participants that positive change has been made possible under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Jammu Kashmir is a crown jewel of India with rich heritage and vibrant culture. It is a paradise on earth known for its natural beauty and ageless ideals of humanism, communal harmony and peace. I am grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the historical transformation in this land to build a Jammu Kashmir, which harmonizes modernity and spirituality and today it is moving forward with unwavering passion and resolution," the Lieutenant Governor said.
He called upon the people of J&K to utilise the opportunities Kashmir Marathon is offering to showcase the UT's potential to the world.
"Let us use this international event to showcase our priceless cultural heritage, arts and crafts and our unique traditions. Let this great running spectacle become a powerful medium for highlighting and showcasing the change and our achievements. Let us use this event to project our handicraft, handloom and tourism sector on the global stage," the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Kashmir Marathon was jointly flagged off by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Bollywood actor Sunil Shetty.
Omar also took part in Half Marathon and completed it successfully.
“Completed the Kashmir Half Marathon. I didn’t set a personal best but I did improve on my effort last year. Congratulations to all the runners who completed the full marathon & the half marathon. Well done #KashmirMarathon,” Omar posted on X.
Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo; Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Dr. Ashish Chandra Verma; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg; DIG Central Kashmir Range, Rajiv Pandey; SSP Srinagar, Dr GV Sundeep Chakravarthy; Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Akshay Labroo and senior officials of civil and police administration were present.
Film actor Suniel Shetty; prominent citizens, sportspersons and youth in large numbers also attended the felicitation ceremony.