Preparations are in full swing for RUN FOR RIO to be held in New Delhi on Sunday 31st July, 2016 at 7 am onwards. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will flag off the RUN to celebrate the Olympic mood especially when India is sending its largest ever contingent of athletes to participate in the Games. Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel said that the objective of the Run is to not only demonstrate to our athletes that the whole country is proud of them and wishes them all the best in the forthcoming Rio Olympics competitions, but also to connect public at large, especially children and youth, with the Olympic spirit and power of sports. Shri Goel, who is personally supervising the preparations for the RUN, said ,around 20,000 school children will participate in the event which will commence from Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium(MDCNS), India Gate, to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JNS),Lodhi Road. New Delhi.
He said similar Runs on a smaller scale will be held in the SAI Regional Centres at Sonepat, Kolkata, Bhopal, Gandhinagar and Thiruvananthapuram. On this occasion, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will also release a publication of SAI on “Indian Olympics Journey,” which will carry interesting information on country’s Olympics achievements and preparations for the future. Shri Goel said an Olympic Exhibition and a Food Park is also being planned in collaboration of NDMC in New Delhi to coincide with the inauguration of the Games at RIO. While the Exhibition is being planned at Central Park the Food Park to be held at BKS Marg in front of State Emporiums. Sponsorship commitments have been received from M/s. Coal India Limited (CIL) and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) for this event. The entire Run from commencement to conclusion will be telecast live by Doordarshan; Doordarshan has also been requested to provide live feed to other T V channels. Giant screens will be located at strategic points for enabling each and every participant to witness the address of the Prime Minister before he flags off the Run.