Alwar, February 8
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, along with Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari, on Sunday flagged off the Alwar Tiger International Half Marathon 2026, a large-scale sporting and environmental awareness event held in Alwar district.
The event attracted nearly 20,000 runners from India and abroad. Actor Randeep Hooda also attended the event, lending support to the initiative.
The marathon, organised under the leadership of Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, aimed to promote tiger conservation, environmental protection and physical fitness in line with the Centre's 'Fit India' movement.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari described the marathon as a grand and meaningful initiative that successfully combined fitness with conservation.
"A very grand event, the Tiger Marathon, was organised here by our Union Minister Bhupender Yadav. A large number of people participated, around 18,000-20,000, including ordinary citizens and athletes. It was an international marathon, and I felt very good being here. The way he connected environmental protection, tiger conservation, and the 'Fit India' movement is a very unique thing he has done, and I learned a great deal by being here at this marathon today," Diya Kumari said.
Further, Rajasthan Minister Sanjay Sharma highlighted the scale of participation and the event's inclusive nature, noting that people from all walks of life took part.
"I would like to extend special thanks to our Union Minister, Bhupender Yadav, who organised the Alwar Tiger International Half Marathon in Alwar. I am happy to report that more than 20,000 participants took part in this half-marathon. There was a 21-kilometre race, a 10-kilometre race, and a 5-kilometre race, and even our specially-abled individuals participated with great enthusiasm," Sanjay Sharma said.
He added that the marathon carried a strong message on wildlife conservation and environmental responsibility, particularly highlighting Alwar's Sariska National Park.
"The message we wanted to convey through this race was that we can conserve wildlife and protect the environment, as Alwar's Sariska National Park is known for its tigers and is recognised not only nationally but also internationally," he said.
Addressing participants and attendees, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav expressed gratitude to the people of Alwar and the various organisations that helped make the event a success. He emphasised that the marathon symbolised collective responsibility towards health, cleanliness and conservation.
"Everyone ran together for Alwar, for tiger conservation, and for the mantra of health given by the Prime Minister. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the organisations in Alwar that participated with great enthusiasm, to the thousands of citizens who made this a success, and to all the runners from national and international levels who participated," Yadav said.
He further noted that the event also aimed to spread awareness about cleanliness and civic responsibility.
"Through this, we want to give a message of cleanliness in Alwar. This is truly an emotional moment for me as well," the Union Minister added.
The Alwar Tiger International Half Marathon featured multiple race categories, including 21 km, 10 km, and 5 km runs, and attracted enthusiastic participation from professional athletes, fitness enthusiasts, local residents, and specially-abled participants, reinforcing its message of inclusivity, conservation, and healthy living.
- ANI
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