Bhubaneswar, April 5: On the fifth day of the ongoing ‘Odia Pakhya’ (Odia Fortnight) celebrations, the Sports and Youth Services Department organised a mega ‘Heritage Marathon’ (Heritage Run) in the capital’s historic Ekamra Kshetra on Sunday.The run commenced at 5:30 AM from the premises of the Mukteswar Temple, a masterpiece of Odishan architecture. The marathon concluded at the historic Rajarani Temple. The route showcased the city’s rich cultural landscape, passing through – Rameswar Temple, Vivekananda Marg, Utkal Kanika Galleria Mall, Lewis Road, BJB College, Rabi Talkies Square.More than 1,000 people from different walks of life, including athletes, youth, persons with disabilities (Divyangjan), and local citizens, joined senior officials in the event. The gathering took a collective pledge to protect and promote the rich heritage and monuments of Odisha.The top performers of the Heritage Marathon were honored for their achievement. While Chandan Samal secured first place, Siddharth Kumar Mishra and Vijay Agrawal secured second and third place, respectively.The winners were presented with medals and felicitated. Additionally, the Department of Sports and Youth Services awarded medals to all participants to acknowledge their enthusiasm and contribution to the cause.Bhubaneswar (Ekamra), Babu Singh graced the event as the chief guest. He emphasised that the marathon is more than just a sporting event; it is a vital initiative to connect the younger generation with their roots.”Our ancient temples and monuments are symbols of Odia identity (Asmita), and their preservation is our moral responsibility,” said MLA Singh.Sports and Youth Services Secretary Bhupendra Singh Poonia, alongside Additional Secretaries Ashok Kumar Panda and Bijay Kumar Swain, Olympian Anuradha Biswal and popular Odia film actress Sivani Sangita also participated in the marathon.
Odia Pakhya Day-5: Ekamra Kshetra hosts heritage marathon
