CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Under the guidelines provided by the M.P. AIDS Control Committee / NACO and the Higher Education Department of the M.P. Government’s National Service Scheme (NSS) Cell, the Red Run Marathon competition was organized at BSSS College. This event aimed to raise public awareness about HIV/AIDS through Red Ribbon Clubs operating in colleges across the district and university levels. The marathon, organized by the NSS unit of Barkatullah University, took place at the Gyan Vigyan Bhavan with the participation of youth aged 17 to 25, beginning at 7 a.m. The route started from Gyan Vigyan Bhavan and looped around the university campus before concluding at the starting point.
Approximately 200 participants from various districts of the university took part in the event. Through this competition, awareness about HIV/AIDS was successfully raised, with participants competing in categories for men, women, and transgender individuals to increase sensitivity and awareness about the issue within society.
The event was graced by Dr. Ashok Kumar Shroti, Regional Director and Program Advisor, NSS Director of New Delhi; R.K. Vijay, State NSS Officer; Prabhakar Tiwari, Chief Medical and Health Officer of Bhopal; Pawan Mishra, Dean of Student Welfare; Anant Kumar Saxena, Program Coordinator of NSS and State Nodal Officer of Red Ribbon Club; Rajkumar Verma, Youth Officer, Government of India; and Ms. Sanjana Singh Rajput, Trans Icon of Madhya Pradesh and Swachh Bharat Brand Ambassador. They all called upon the youth to work towards eradicating HIV/AIDS.
In the men’s category, Ajay secured the first position, Vishnu Verma took second, and Ankit Pal came third. In the women’s category, Sapna Raghuvanshi was declared the special winner, with Muskan Rathore securing the first position, Tanvi Deduke the second, and Nikita Kewat the third. The winners were awarded cash prizes of ₹7,000, ₹5,000, and ₹3,000, respectively, while the top 10 participants received an encouragement prize of ₹1,000 each. The top three participants will also compete in the state-level competition on November 10, 2024.
During the marathon, the guests emphasized the importance of preventing drug abuse, promoting safe and responsible sexual behavior, and enhancing basic knowledge related to HIV/AIDS through awareness campaigns.
Dr. Ashok Kumar Shroti encouraged more youth to participate in such activities to aid in their holistic development. Prabhakar Tiwari emphasized adopting a healthy lifestyle, praising the youth’s enthusiasm and inspiring them to continue with a strong purpose in life. Dr. R.K. Vijay highlighted the role of NSS in the overall development of young people, while Pawan Mishra motivated the youth to achieve their goals through both learning and focused efforts. The competition was organized under the direction of Anant Kumar Saxena, NSS Program Coordinator. The event was hosted by Rahul Singh Parihar, and the vote of thanks was given by D.B. Singh.
#RedRunMarathon #HIVAIDSAwareness #StaySafe
