BENGALURU: The 15th edition of Kanyathon, a student-led charity marathon that provides scholarships to girl students from disenfranchised communities, was held in Bengaluru on Sunday. The marathon, endorsed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, saw participation from around 10,000 runners, nearly 30 times the turnout of its inaugural edition in 2011.
Rakshita, a final-year BCom student at IFIM College, is one of this year’s beneficiaries. She scored 87% in her Class 10 board examinations and 95% in Class 12, despite losing her father during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her mother, who works as a housekeeper at a school, has been supporting the family single-handedly, but meeting college expenses and funding Rakshita’s classical dance training has become increasingly difficult. The scholarship will now allow her to continue her pursuits.
With Rs 65 lakh raised through this edition, around 1,000 girl students from government schools in Karnataka and Maharashtra will receive scholarships, along with support for digital and health education.
Prospective beneficiaries will also receive lessons on health awareness and digital literacy through the programme’s nine Kanyathon Shiksha Kendras in Karnataka and Maharashtra. These centres will sensitise students about menstrual health and provide access to feminine hygiene products. Funds for this year’s marathon were raised by students from IFIM College, Vijaybhoomi University and Jagdish Sheth School of Management (JAGSoM).