Members of a senior citizens’ group from Panvel, all aged between 70 and 87, will be among the 55,000-odd people running the Mumbai Marathon on Sunday.
Parameswaran Madangarli (70), founder, Jyesth Nagarik Sangh, said he and his fellow members have been participating in the marathon since the inception of the sangh four years ago. “Sixty-one of us will be running the marathon. Taking part in it makes us feel young again. The cheering of crowds from both the sides is simply electrifying,” he said.
Mr. Madangarli said the group members are very excited to take part in the marathon every year. “We gather at the Panvel station at 4 a.m. and catch the first train to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus,” he said.
Talking about the inspiration behind taking part in the marathon, Mr. Madangarli said it was the taunts from young people that drove him towards the initiative. “People usually think that aged people should indulge in devotional activities only. The elderly are sidelined by their family members thinking that they are of no use at their age.”
He also expressed his happiness over increasing number of marathon runners in his organisation. “We started with one participant in the marathon and now we have 61. We have come a long way,” Mr. Madangarli said.
The Jyesth Nagarik Sangh regularly organises tournaments of indoor games like chess and table tennis. There are also facilities for people who want to play cricket and volleyball.
