Punjab government organises drug‑awareness national marathon in Mahilpur
Hoshiarpur/ Mar.22/Daljeet Ajnoha
: The Punjab government today organised a large‑scale national marathon in Mahilpur, Hoshiarpur, under its ongoing anti‑drug campaign “Yuddh Nashon ke Viruddh” (War Against Drugs), dedicated to the martyrdom of Shaheed‑e‑Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh. Over 4,000 participants from all sections of society took part in the event, which aimed to spread awareness against substance abuse and to promote sports and a healthy lifestyle among youth.
Marathon flagged off at dawn
The marathon began at 4 a.m. at the local Sri Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, with the 42‑km race flagged off at 5 a.m. by Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Jai Krishan Singh Rouri Addressing the gathering, he declared that Punjab’s traditional courage and enthusiasm make eliminating the drug menace a surmountable challenge rather than an impossible task.
Rouri said the government has been carrying out sustained, large‑scale actions against drugs over the past four years, and events like the Shaheed‑e‑Azam Bhagat Singh National Marathon help translate this message into visible public support on the ground. He also highlighted that Mahilpur, once known as the “cradle of football” in Punjab, had recently seen a rise in drug abuse, which the present administration is actively working to reverse under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s leadership. �
**Message of “No to drugs, yes to sports”/*
Rouri reiterated that the marathon’s core message—“Na to nasha, haan to khel”—was highly commendable, as it both warns against the harms of drugs and motivates youth to pursue sports and fitness. He said that with collective effort, the dream of a “rangla” (vibrant, healthy) Punjab can be realised, in line with the vision of the state’s freedom fighters.
CM Mann’s wife, Dr Gurpreet Kaur, also presided over the event and flagged off the 5‑km race. She praised the large participation of girls, calling it “praiseworthy,” and said the Punjab government is committed to helping eliminate drugs while pushing special initiatives to strengthen sports infrastructure. She urged that such awareness marathons continue regularly so that the younger generation stays away from narcotics.
**Honours for Bhagat Singh’s legacy**
The event was graced by Kiranjit Singh Sandhu, nephew of Shaheed‑e‑Azam Bhagat Singh, who described the marathon as a commendable step towards keeping youth healthy and drug‑free. He said Bhagat Singh’s ideology was rooted in equality and a dignified, healthy life for all, for which he sacrificed his life for future generations. Sandhu urged people to eradicate social evils and contribute to realising the dream of a society befitting the sacrifices of martyrs.
**Prize money structure**
Deputy Speaker Rouri announced the prize amounts for different race categories. In the 42‑km category, the top 10 finishers received cash awards of ₹1 lakh, ₹75,000, ₹40,000, ₹30,000, ₹20,000, ₹15,000, ₹10,000, ₹8,000, ₹6,000 and ₹5,000 respectively, for both men and women.
For the 21‑km race, separate winners’ groups were introduced for age bands 19–30, 31–40, 41–50, 51–60 and 60+, with the top three in each category receiving ₹30,000, ₹15,000 and ₹10,000. In the 10‑km race, the prize structure followed the same pattern with ₹20,000, ₹10,000 and ₹5,000 for each age‑band’s top three. The 5‑km category awarded ₹5,000, ₹3,000, ₹2,000, ₹1,500, ₹1,000, ₹900, ₹800, ₹700, ₹600 and ₹500 to the top 10 finishers in both men’s and women’s categories.
For differently‑abled participants in the 1‑km race, the male and female winners received ₹5,000, ₹3,000, ₹2,000, ₹1,500, ₹1,000 and ₹1,000 for positions one to six respectively.
**High‑profile participation**
The event drew several decorated athletes and officials, including Olympian and Arjuna awardee Surjeet Singh, Asian champions Charanmohan, Hardeep Singh, Prabhjot Singh, Komal Preet Shukla, Anmol Kaur and others, along with Police World Games champions, Commonwealth Games medallists and several national and international champions. Among the dignitaries present were Deputy Commissioner Ashikha Jain, SSP Sandeep Kumar Malik, District Sports Officer Gurpreet Singh, AAP leaders such as Paraminder Goldie, school principals, sports promoter Kulwant Singh Sangha, and representatives from multiple panchayats, NGOs and educational institutions.
Participants and organisers said the marathon has reinforced Punjab’s resolve to combat drug abuse and build a healthier, sport‑oriented youth culture, in the spirit of Bhagat Singh’s sacrifice.