Jaipur, Dec 16 : The 9th edition of the Vedanta Pink City Half Marathon (VPCHM) concluded successfully in Jaipur, exemplifying the spirit of community and determination. With nearly 15,000 runners participating, the event raised over 1 lakh meals for children and animals under Vedanta’s #RunForZeroHunger initiative. For every kilometer run by participants, Vedanta pledged to provide meals for children and animals through its social impact arm, the Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF).
Building on the success of last year’s marathon, which provided over 1 lakh meals to children through AAF’s flagship *Nand Ghar* initiative, this year’s efforts expanded to include animals. Embracing the ‘One Health’ approach, which recognizes the interconnected health of humans, animals, and the environment, the meals will be distributed to children in 6,600 *Nand Ghars* across 15 states and to animals under AAF’s The Animal Care Organization (TACO)*.
VPCHM 2024 follows the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon in October, which raised 10 million meals, amplifying Vedanta’s commitment to eradicating hunger and malnutrition across India.
Organized by AnyBody Can Run (ABCR), a virtual platform promoting fitness and social causes, and supported by Vedanta, the marathon was flagged off at Jaipur’s NRI Chauraha by Arun Misra, CEO of Hindustan Zinc Ltd, and Dino Morea, actor and event ambassador. The event included three categories: the 21 km Half Marathon, 10 km Cool Run, and 5 km Dream Run.
Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director of Vedanta Limited and Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc Limited, lauded the event, saying:
“The Vedanta Pink City Half Marathon 2024 celebrates community spirit and shared purpose. Each step taken by the runners brought us closer to our mission of nourishing lives—feeding children and animals alike. With the incredible support of participants, we have raised over 1 lakh meals, underscoring the power of collective action. Beyond the marathon, Vedanta remains committed to holistic development through initiatives in Rajasthan, including the *Nand Ghar* network and collaborations with Ranthambore National Park and the Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve for animal welfare.”*
