Dadra & Nagar Haveli unit of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram organised a marathon of Vanvasis in Khanwel on November 19. A total of 25 Vanvasi boys from 14 villages participated in the run. Jamna Ravatri Kharpade, a boy of Sindoni village, who does not even know how to make signature, reached near the national record in marathon. He completed the distance of 21 km in 1 hour, 19 minutes and 20 second. Thirteen other boys between the age group of 14 to 17 years had also participated in this 21 km long run. A total of 12 other boys participated in another 42 km marathon. What surprised the organisers and the guests on the occasion was the physical strength of Kharpade who did not look tired even after completing the 21 long run. The 42 km run was won by Sonji Kharpadia of the same Sindoni village. Both these boys can now represent Dadra & Nagar Haveli in the national marathon to be held in Poornia, Bihar, in December this year by Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram. In the year 2004 an athlete from Dadra & Nagar Haveli had also stood first in the national marathon. The winners were duly awarded by Shri Sudhakar Chandorkar, a well-wisher of Kalyan Ashram from Mumbai. (FOC)
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