The annual Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Run, commemorating the birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister, would be held on August 20, according to former MP V. Hanumantha Rao.
Mr. Rao informed the media on Friday that the run would be flagged off at 7.30 a.m. from four different areas—Mahatma Gandhi Statue at James Street (Secunderabad), Jawaharlal Nehru Statue (Abids), Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Statue (Tank Bund) and Babu Jagjivan Ram Statue (Nizam College).
It would culminate at Somajiguda near Rajiv Gandhi Statue around 9.30 a.m. where the TPCC president, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, would address the gathering. “The objective of the run is to spread communal harmony and to identify two young talented athletes (a boy and a girl) who are in need of financial support. Each one of them will be given ₹1,000 stipend per month to pursue their interest in sports,” Mr. Rao explained.
He said it was disappointing that there was no support for genuinely talented athletes coming from the rural areas. “Recently, when we conducted the Tribal Sports Meet in Korukonda, we were surprised to see the abundance of talent and unfortunately, they don’t have the desired support on different fronts,” he said.
“I appeal to both the State and the Central governments to see that each of the district headquarters is allotted at least eight acres of land exclusively for a sports complex to promote sports in a big way and not just focus on major cities,” Mr. Rao said.