Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan flagged off the ‘Run for Martyrs’ half marathon organised by the Border Security Force (BSF) here on Sunday to pay tributes to the security and police personnel, who laid their lives for the country.
Pradhan flagging off the marathon at the Kalinga Stadium in the morning said it is a unique way to pay tributes to the martyrs.
The marathon demonstrates the spirit of the people and proves the respect they have towards the police and paramilitary personnel who sacrifice their lives for the country, he said. “The half marathon is unique as even children, women and differently abled participated in it,” he added.
“We organised the marathon to pay homage to the martyrs. We will try to organise the event every year,” said BSF IG AK Singh.
The marathon organised by the BSF to honour the martyrs is a highly praiseworthy effort, said DGP RP Sharma.
“BSF has played a crucial role in curbing Maoists menace, especially in Odisha. People participating in such a huge numbers to pay homage shows the respect they have for policemen,” Sharma added.
The half marathon event for men, women and children under 21 km, 10 km and 5 km categories was organised on the day as a part of BSF’s countrywide initiative to remember martyrs.