Staff Reporter –
The inaugural of the JSL NFR Northeast Half Marathon, organized by Jindal Stainless (JSL) in collaboration with Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) and NF Railway & Innovations India was flagged off by GM, NFR, Anshul Gupta, and Tarun Khulbe, COO & Director and DGM NFR Rajiv Mahajan, in the presence of Raju Bista, MP of Darjeeling, Renowned Mountaineer Jamling Tenzing Norgay (Son of the legendary Tenzing Norgay) Baichung Bhutia, India’s former professional football player). The inaugural 21.1 km long run was flagged off from the Chowrasta, Darjeeling.
The prime objectives were for the Development of the Northeast, Empowering Sports, and Promoting the iconic Darjeeling Himalayan Railway – A UNESCO World Heritage site, the JSL NFR NE Half Marathon was curated by internationally acclaimed festival curator Captain Rahul Bali.
Managing Director, Jindal Stainless, Mr Abhyuday Jindal said, “Promoting sports and development in the region is the main aim of the JSL NFR Northeast Half Marathon. We are grateful to NFR and DHR for providing us with an opportunity to collaborate on the north-eastern region’s first half marathon series. The enthusiasm of the participants today was quite overwhelming, and we are delighted that the initiative was able to bring all the community together to promote sports, highlight the region’s potential, and contribute to its overall development.”
COO and Director, Jindal Stainless, Mr Tarun Khulbe added, “The Honorable Prime Minister has a vision for all sportspersons in India and has always believed that sport has been one of the best ways to connect communities and countries for better development. India is a versatile land and has a big pool of young talented sportspersons and enthusiastic players who will be the shining future of Indian sports teams. With his mission to develop every state of India, I believe that with our various initiatives, we would be able to be a part of his vision. Seeing the sportsmanship spirit in these amazing runners today makes me very proud.”
