Staff Reporter –
History will unfold just about a little more than a fortnight from today, when the world’s first World Athletics Gold Label 25 K Race, Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata, will be flagged off from the iconic Red Road on Sunday, 15 December 2024. Football great Sol Campbell, cricketing legend Jhulan Goswami and Tollywood Diva Koushani Mukherjee will join runners from around the world #AamarKolkataShonarKolkata.
With registrations in full swing, the countdown for the 9th edition of the event was set amidst the domes, turrets and arches of the central courtyard of the historic marvel Victoria Memorial.
Running is the fastest-growing sport in India, and a true testament to Kolkata’s awakening to a running movement is that registrations for the USD 142,214 prize money event continue to be in high spirits. The 10K, has received an overwhelming response from the running community and is now oversubscribed. Registrations for the feature race 25K, Ananda Run, Senior Citizen Run, and Champions with Disability are open until November 29, IST 11:59 p.m., or until running places are filled, whichever is earlier.
Chanakya Chaudhary, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel, said: “The Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata, now also a prestigious World Athletics Gold Label Race, is a red-letter day for athletes worldwide. It is also a day when participants, organizers and the community come together to celebrate the spirit of fitness, strength, and resilience. For Tata Steel, a company dedicated to and heavily invested in sports, this is yet another opportunity to bring people from all walks of life together by leveraging their passion for sports and fitness. We expect the 2024 edition of the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata to be a bigger success than the previous editions.”
“I am honoured to be a part of this moment when TSW 25K becomes the only Gold Label run at this distance in the world. Vijay Diwas celebrates our 1971 victory and Tata and Procam’s continuous support to this moment through the Vijay Diwas Trophy is commendable. I wish the race all success and expect huge participation,” Brig. AK Das, Deputy GoC, Bengal Sub Area.
“It is wonderful to see that the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata has grown to become the world’s first 25K Gold Label to be run from Kolkata. I am not at all surprised to see the buzz the event has created and how people are registering for different categories. I call upon you all the fitness enthusiasts, your family and friends to register and start the race alongside me on race day,” said cricketer Jhulan Goswami, Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata Ratna.
Naarayan TV, CMO, IDFC FIRST Bank, “IDFC FIRST Bank is proud to be the exclusive Associate Partner of the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata. We celebrate every runner’s #JourneyToTheStart and support them in taking that first step towards a physical and financially healthy lifestyle. We look forward to a day filled with energy, enthusiasm in the City of Joy, Kolkata.”
“It is an absolute privilege to host the first World Athletics Gold Label 25K in Kolkata, with this glorious backdrop. West Bengal has truly taken up to this sport with all categories filling up fast. This is with the support of our stakeholders – The government of West Bengal, our sponsors, and, more importantly, our runners. We can assure you a galaxy of international and national level athletes and an unmatched running experience for all our runners,” said Vivek Singh, Jt. MD, Procam International.
Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled as the Champions with Disability Facilitator
Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled is a National award-winning NGO in India that works for the empowerment of persons with disabilities and the underserved through its diverse initiatives focused on providing quality education, accommodation, nutritious food, vocational training, and placement-based rehabilitation.
With a vision of Sports for All since its inception 27 years ago, Samarthanam will be the Champions with Disability Facilitator this year.
RUNNERS SPECIAL
Medal of Steel for 25K Finishers
To celebrate the resolve of the 25K runners, each finisher is rewarded with a uniquely crafted ‘Medal of Steel’ from Tata Steel. Steel is a symbol of the human spirit, of inner grit, strength, and determination, a critical element that helps us ‘face obstacles and odds without breaking. It keeps us going. It is this tangible manifestation of the ‘steely’ spirit of the city and our event participants.
Finisher Medal for every runner
Everyone on the start line is a winner, and to commemorate this spirit, all finishers across the 10K, Ananda Run, Champions with Disability, and Senior Citizens—will receive a Finisher Medal and a certificate.
Exclusive merchandise by T10, Sportswear Partner
India’s leading homegrown Sportswear brand, T10, will ensure a memorable race day for the 25K and 10K participants. Confirmed 25K participants will receive a race day tee-shirt, while the fastest 1000 men and 1000 women runners in the open 10K category will receive a finishers tee-shirt.
VIJAY DIWAS TROPHY
In a show of solidarity with the Services, Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata is honoured to celebrate Vijay Diwas, which falls during the event’s week. Established in 2018, it remains an integral part of the running festival with the Eastern Command’s and Bengal Sub-Area’s wholehearted participation. The trophy is inspired by the historic Vijay Smarak and is a Rolling Trophy.
The Vijay Diwas Trophy is contested between the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force, with a total of 30 teams. Each team has three members running the 25K, and the aggregate of their timings determines the winner. The top three teams stand to win INR 75,000, INR 60,000, and INR 45,000, respectively.
POLICE CUP
An event of this stature would not have been possible without the unstinted support of the Kolkata Police. To applaud their sporting spirit, there is a special category within the event, the Police Cup. 100 police teams, including 75 Men’s and 25 Women’s teams, will compete in this category. Each team has 3 members running the 10KM, and the team with the fastest aggregate time will be adjudged the winner. The total prize money for this category is INR 1,68,000.
