Kerala sported a vibrant rainbow with cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar right in the middle of it in shining red, as people of all walks thronged the streets on Friday to make Run Kerala Run, key promotional event of the 35th National Games, a success.
It was undoubtedly one of the rare occasions in the history of the State when its populace seemed to forget all differences and joined the bandwagon to pledge support to the games being hosted by Kerala for the second time since 1987. The scenes were no different right from Parassala in the south to Manjeswaram in the north as the mass race, at all its 21 mega points, 226 mini mega points, and over 10,000 ordinary points, attracted impressive crowds to the extent that the heavy turnout did surprise even its organisers.
And if it was Tendulkar who held centre stage in the capital, the district headquarters had its own star attractions, notably superstars of Malayalam film industry, Mohanlal in Kochi and Dileep in Kottayam.
In fact, it was a patient wait for most of the participants as people in large numbers were seen on the streets as early as from 8.30 a.m., a good two hours prior to the appointed hour. At the South gate of the Secretariat here, the police had to virtually struggle to keep the crowd at bay before Tendulkar joined Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Sports Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty, Power Minister Aryadan Mohammed, and Speaker G. Karthikeyan.
Governor P. Sathasivam administered a pledge to the participants before flagging off the race. However, with the entire stretch marked for the race remaining crowded, the lead group could hardly break off into a run and had to virtually walk the distance before reaching the Central Stadium.
