The present pandemic has thrown up unprecedented challenges globally. But there have been real-life heroes who have stepped in to lend a helping hand to those who have lost their livelihood. SHALINI SAKSENA speaks with one such warrior
The Coronavirus outbreak has indeed tested our values, principles and humanity. And almost everybody has stepped up to come forward and help those who are less fortunate in whatever way they can. Meet one such real-life hero — Neelam Talwar, special flight’s cabin crew member of Vande Bharat Mission.
Talwar’s story is that of inspiration not only has she been instrumental in getting back thousands of Indian stranded abroad under the Government’s initiative Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) she has also pledged 100 km for the Sunfeast India Run As One initiative in order to make a difference in the lives of people from the marginalised society and those who have lost their livelihood.
She tells you that the idea behind her pledge stems from the way the COVID-19 has impacted not just the entire world but India as well due to which many people have lost their jobs. “The initiative is a good move. The idea is to either run, jog, walk and later do yoga and exercise for half-a-hour which comes to 1 km of run. One can do all this and the proceeds from the run go to the people who have lost their livelihood,” Talwar explains.
Some of the people who would be benefitting are micro-entrepreneurs, farmers, migrant workers, LGBTQIA communities, differently-abled, tribal communities, athletes, sportspersons, vulnerable women and women supported families to name a few.
“These are testing time for the society and we are fighting a battle against a virus that shall only proliferate in the future until a vaccine is invented, but we can’t let this bring our lives to a complete standstill. We need to unite against this and lend a helping hand to people who need our support. Therefore, when I heard about this initiative, I decided to pledge to run 100 km and would urge others to come forward and pledge as many km as they can,” the air hostess tells you who has been working since 1993.
All one has to do is to register at www.sunfeastIndiarunasone.procam.in and pledge whatever km one can run. It starts with a run at Rs 99; then there one for Rs 499 and finally for Rs 999. “Whatever one registers for, all this money goes towards the cause — GiveIndia, the NGO to whom the money will go to who will then use the money to build the livelihood of the marginalised. This is in collaboration with Procam International with Sunfeast as the title sponsor,” Talwar says.
One can of course pledge as many more km as one wants to but due to the nature of Talwar’s job, she was not sure that she could run more. “Since the cause here is to raise the money, it is not the distance one runs. However, just to motivate people, if one pledges for Rs 499, one gets a bib number and a medal. If one registers for Rs 999, one gets a special number at the end of the event. I was however, not looking at the money but the distance I wanted to run,” Talwar says. The reward also includes a specially designed e-certificate of recognition, autographed by Tiger Shroff and marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge.
There are over a dozen Bollywood stars besides Tiger Shroff; Athiya Shetty, Milind Soman, Armaan Jain,Tara Sutaria and Rahul Bose too have joined this movement. The other names associated with the movement are Olympic Gold medalist Abhinav Bindra, Padma Shri gymnast Dipa Karmakar, Padma Shri Vijay Amritraj, and Olympian marathoner Nitendra Singh Rawat. Cricketers Amit Mishra, Shikha Pandey and Paralympic swimming sensation Niranjan Mukundan too have joined in. The main goal of this movement is to showcase the power of togetherness which will contribute to changing the lives that matter.
Interestingly, one doesn’t have to do any kind of physical activity to be part of this initiative. One can just register for whatever amount they want to. The reason why Talwar chose to run is because she is a runner. The initiative that kickstarted on August 15, 2020 and was to end on September 13, 2020 has now been extended to September 30, 2020. One can still register and pledge.
When Talwar had started off, she had to complete her pledge run by September 13, 2020 but has already run 115 km and counting despite the hectic demands of her job. She tells you that it is not all that tough “It is all in the mind. I just needed a push to get out of the house. I had stopped running due to COVID-19 situation. I had taken up indoor exercises and yoga. But when I heard of this initiative, I took up the chance to run again. But when VBM started I started running every alternative day,” Talwar says for whom running is a lifestyle.
“I have always been a runner. I was a national level athlete in school and college. However, running took a backseat when I joined Air India back in 1993. The demands of the new job and travelling the world took over. But then in 2009, I started off with lawn tennis and started hitting the gym as I wanted to pursue long-distance running due to some health issues. Once I got my stamina back, I started running again and since then I have been a part of numerous marathonsand long-distance running events. Unfortunately, due to my hectic flying schedule, I haven’t been able to take part in as many competitions as I would wish to, but I try my best to have an active running lifestyle” the mother of two tells you.
In order to complete her pledge well before the deadline, Talwar gets out of the house at 4:30 am to run on NH-48. Of course, safety is an issue hence her husband is with her, in his car while she runs. Though her husband is not a runner, he loves to cycle and when he goes riding, she does the tailing. Now, her younger son too has taken to running and pledged 70 km to the movement.
Her advice to those who want to take up physical activity: “One doesn’t have to run only. There are other things that can keep you going. Don’t copy others, take up an exercise that one enjoys. Eat health and start thinking about yourself,” Talwar says.
