IDBI Federal Life Insurance announces title sponsorship of Kolkata Marathon
IDBI FEDERAL LIFE INSURANCE will be the new Title Sponsor of city’s only full Marathon, the Kolkata Marathon. The 9th edition will take place in the City of Joy on 6th March 2016. Multiple Grand Slam winner and Padma Bhushan Awardee, Leander Paes will be ‘Face of the Event’.
The marathon will have 5 race categories – Full Marathon – 42.195 Km, Half Marathon – 21.097 Km, Open & Corporate Challenge – 10 Km each and the Fun Run – 5 Km. This annual property is among the few full marathons in India and has grown from 6,000 participants in its debut 9 years ago, to 15,000 participants in 2015. This is also an official qualifier race for the Rio Olympics.
Entry fee for the Full Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K Open is Rs.550 each, the Fun Run is Rs.300 and the Corporate Run (for a 6-member team) is Rs.3,500. Online registrations can be done through the event website www.kolkatamarathon.com. The 2016 IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon will be flagged off from Red Road, in front of Ranger's Club.
Leander Paes said,
“I am delighted to be associated with the IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon. Kolkata has a special place in my heart as I have spent many formative years of my life here. To see the event grow from the first edition to the ninth edition, in terms of participation and even awareness in the city has been an interesting journey. One cannot emphasise the importance of good health enough, and with running, you can simply just get up and go! I’m proud to be a part of the Kolkata Marathon in my home city, and urge people to come out in great numbers.”
Speaking about the association, Vighnesh Shahane, CEO, IDBI Federal Life Insurance, said,
“It is a matter of joy and pride for us to be associated with this prestigious running event as its Title Sponsor, now called the ‘IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon’. Wellness is a key value we try to propagate within our organisation and running is integral to wellness. Our connection with the City of Joy is special as well, and we look forward to strengthening it further with this sporting association.”
"It is befitting that someone like Leander Paes, who is among the biggest stars of Indian sports is the face of the event and is supporting the marathon. At 42, Leander is fitter than most youngsters today and is a role model for the younger generation. Sports help us reach out to a wide audience, and tap a large demographic profile and is gender agnostic. Sports inspire qualities that we firmly identify with, and believe in. It is the vehicle of choice for brand-building initiatives for IDBI Federal. Being a sportsman myself, it gives me immense pleasure to contribute to India’s sporting fabric and help inspire positive change in future generations. We are committed to sports, and will continue to identify and add similar such sports initiatives to our portfolio.”
The IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon, managed by HighLife Management, is held exclusively for Indian athletes to promote and encourage the best running talent in India.
Saurav Chatterjee, Director & CEO, HighLife Management, said,
“It’s my immense pleasure to welcome IDBI Federal Life Insurance as the Title Sponsor for the 2016 edition of the Kolkata Marathon. We are delighted that Leander Paes has shown support towards the marathon and we welcome him on board to help promote the marathon in the city. Only Indian athletes are eligible for the prize money in the Kolkata Marathon, as it aims to promote athletics at the grassroots level in the state and to give Indian athletes a platform to showcase their talent. The IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon continues to spread the message of health and wellness in the community. We hope to see tremendous enthusiasm and support for all the runners once again this year and look forward to the 'new' and exciting edition of Kolkata’s own Marathon."
