CHENNAI: To raise awareness about the need for quality rural education, 20 monks along with full-time residents from Isha Foundation participated in the Wipro Chennai Marathon on January 31. Over 600 runners supporting the cause of rural education participated in the marathon.
Actor Vivek met the runners at Mahamudra Restaurant a day before the marathon. He, in his own comic way, praised the monks and underlined the importance of Yoga in helping them participate in the 21 km run. “These monks live an extremely disciplined life. They get up before the sun rises. They eat just two times a day, but are always energetic. This would not be possible without them practicing yoga,” said Vivek.
The runners, aged between 24 and 59, were trained by Ajit Singh, an experienced runner from Mumbai. They hope to raise awareness about IshaVidya, a non-profit educational initiative, which works to provide education in the rural pockets of Tamil Nadu. Funds generated by the organisation have helped build 40 classrooms and cover the education costs of more than 2,000 students annually.
Swami Nirahara, a member of the Foundation said he has been running in these marathons since the age of 55. He too stressed on the importance of yoga in preparing for the marathon. IshaVidhya has been garnering support for its cause in many marathons in the country. Volunteers and supporters running for IshaVidhya have participated in marathons at Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi and Chennai as well as participating in the Sevathon Marathon in California.