Tendulkar to run alongside Kerala governor, chief minister

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 13: Sports lovers in Kerala will have an opportunity to watch cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar run alongside Governor P.Sathasivam and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in a marathon being held across the state Jan 20. The marathon titled "Run Kerala Run" is intended to popularise the upcoming 35th National Games (Jan 31-Feb 14) that will be held at 30 venues across seven districts of the state. Tendulkar is the goodwill ambassador of the Games. According to state's Sports Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, the event's highlight, however, would be the participation of a 95-year-old retired school teacher. "Each group would run around 500 metres. The highlight of the event is that the oldest participant would be 95-year-old Chellama, a retired school teacher, who will run at the school she studied in Kottayam," the minister told reporters here Tuesday. "The governor will first flag off the run here in front of the state secretariat and then join the run which will culminate about 500 metres at the Central Stadium. Then we will have a meeting too," he said. Radhakrishnan said the event would be held across the length and breadth of the state and probably be the biggest mass run ever held. It is to be held across 7,000 points in Kerala for which 14 district collectors are coordinating.