Celeb Quotient High at Mumbai Marathon's 'Dream Run'
Pics: Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jan 16 (IANS): It was a melange of colours, Bollywood personalities and socialites as over 22,000 people participated in the six-kilometre long 'Dream Run' at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2011 Sunday.
As the state Public Works Department Minister Chhagan Bhujbal flagged off the 'Dream Run', celebrities like actress Neha Dhupia, Mini Mathur, Poonam Narula and socialite Shobha De ran to support their respective charities.
"This is for the first time I am running any marathon and I am very excited about it," said Neha Dhupia, who was running in support of NGO Concern India.
Several teams from around 180 NGOs, dressed in colourful outfits, walked with multi-coloured posters supporting a cause. From protecting animals to forests, there was not a cause that went unsupported.
Rallying for various other causes from the sidelines were actors Juhi Chawla, Vivek Oberoi, Shreyas Talpade and Shilpa Shetty.
Congress MP Priya Dutt cheered for the charity she supported while Deepika Padukone also encouraged the runners.
Tina Ambani cheered for the senior citizens who participated in the run under the banner of her Harmony initiative for the elderly.
"I am so happy to see all these Silvers (a term used for the senior citizens by her Harmony Magazine) participating in the run and I am here to cheer for them," she said.
The 'Dream Run had some interesting moments as well. With onion prices soaring, the run also saw a man at his sarcastic best, wearing a garland of onions, saying he would give it to the most deserving candidate.
Ethiopia's Girima Assefa Sunday won the 42-km full run at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2011. He reached the finish line in two hours, nine minutes and 57 seconds.
"I am happy to have won. I will come back to Mumbai again to participate in the marathon next year," the 24-year-old athlete said.
Born in Shoa province of Ethiopia, Assefa first participated in a 20-km run in Paris in 2003 and has participated in more than 30 such runs and marathons since then.