Our beautiful, ever-grateful seventh wedding anniversary was over by August 12, 2023. We were planning for the next day's event. I was resting while my husband Mr. Jasper was anticipating the dawn of the next day, which is August 13. He had informed me about the same on August 11. By then, we were at the Madurai Kannappar Hotel in Porur. While we were waiting for the hot food to arrive, he revealed to me about the marathon that was being conducted for the cause of women's safety.
Being a person who hadn't run for almost a decade, I was wondering at his request for me to join the run. I was an athlete when I was young, but when I entered tenth grade, I was made to focus on nothing but education. Since then, I never ran for any reason. Chennai is known for marathons and fitness enthusiasts. Two years ago, my husband participated in a marathon. I assisted him and gave him moral support, but I didn't run the race even then, so I wasn't aware of the prizes they would give to winners. My basic idea was that people run marathons for a good cause.
Let's return to the scenario at Kannappar Hotel now. I was surprised by my husband's words about the winner's reward. I felt motivated and said, "Okay, I will come, and we will win. But let's keep it a secret." My husband, who had never seen me running, was taken aback but laughed and said, "Sure, I will never share our secret with anyone." He thought I was joking, but seeing my serious expression, he asked, "Ani ma, are you serious?" I hadn't expected that reply, as I was genuinely sincere about winning the prize. In my mind, I believed I could win, considering I had walked more than 5 km. I planned to walk faster to increase my chances of winning. So, I told my husband, "No, I am serious."
Upon hearing my reply, he unfolded the truth that around 2000 young women had signed up for the marathon. Trained athletes were expected to participate from colleges. This reminded me of my college days, where I saw athletes practicing every day. I knew for sure I wasn't a match for them in terms of athletic abilities. So, my confidence started to waver. I told my husband, "Looks like my plan for winning won't work out." He laughed and said, "That's totally fine. Just come and stay beside me. You can do volunteering if you want."
At that moment, my eyes sparkled, and I said, "Okay, I will come along with you and will do my part as a volunteer." The next morning, when the alarm rang, I was tired, but I didn't want to miss the adventure my husband had described. I got ready to attend the church as well as the marathon event which was arranged by the I'M SAFE app team. The drive was beautiful, with wide roads and no traffic in the early morning. As we neared the event, we encountered a busy and energetic team working like bees at the venue.
Seeing their actions, I felt compelled to get involved in every little thing where I thought my assistance was needed. The energetic women from the I'M SAFE app were wearing their branded T-shirts and caps and working with laptops. They distributed T-shirts to the registered students. On a stage, a compering lady was using her English fluency to guide young women about everything they needed to know. Her confident presence and voice were guiding the girls.
Students from Ethiraj Women's College and Stella Maris College flooded the booth, eagerly getting ready to run the marathon. When my husband started distributing T-shirts,Bibs etc.. I assisted him a little. The event began, and the stage was graced by the CEO of the I'M SAFE Mr. Giftson Selladurai, the Chairman of Ethiraj College Mr. V. M. Muralidharan, another woman dignitary, and finally the Deputy Commissioner Mrs. V.V. Geethanjali.
My husband's duty was to safely hand over pure white doves to the chief guests. Two beautiful doves were waiting, looking at the crowd from their cage, longing for freedom. At last, the moment arrived. Those pure, beautiful birds were released into the air. It was one of the most joyful sights to behold. All the guests were happy, as they had participated in a prelude event to what they were about to witness: the young women flying as those birds did.
A concise yet impactful speech was given by the woman police officer. She stressed that women should be safe not only from physical violence but also from online violence. Another captivating sight was the release of balloons in pink and white colors. These balloons were near where I was standing. A member of the I'M SAFE team asked me to pass the balloons to her by removing them from the stones they were tied to. I untied them and handed the balloons to Mr. Jim, my husband's colleague, who then passed them to the lady to take to the stage. The balloons were released, accompanied by the students' loud and joyful shouts.
Students were asked to assemble behind the starting point. Young men from I'm Safe, Ruah Tech and Axlerate were ready on bikes and began to move when the highly anticipated marathon started. I felt a sense of awe as I saw the young women start from the beginning. They exuded joy, hope, and determination. It was a moment that gave me goosebumps, and I felt proud of each one of them.
As they left, our team of volunteers and staff awaited their return to the starting point. I started a conversation with Mrs. Saranya Andrew, the wife of Mr. Andrew who heads the marketing team of I'M SAFE app and we shared many thoughts on various topics. I was least expecting the winner to show up in a very short period. But, While we were near where our car was parked, we saw the first winner reach the finish line.
We were amazed by her swift running ability. The first winner was a young woman from Pollachi Physical Education College named GS college. She came to know about the event through Instagram. Remarkable thing about her performance and winning was the fact that she ran without wearing shoes. We went to the finish line to welcome and serve the winners with medals, water bottles, biscuits, and juice.
Gen Z ladies posed with their medals, likely planning to share the photos on Instagram later. Though bottles were scattered, when we collected some, young women used the bins and thanked us for the service. After finishing the race, they sat on the ground for a while. The winners were announced, and their checks were awarded as everyone cheered. Laughter, joy, and smiling faces were everywhere, along with a sense of accomplishment.
Apart from the students who were winning medals. We met another inspiring person Mrs. Monica Issac who finished the race in just 45 mins and won the medal. She encouraged me to join her in the next marathon event in future.
The young women and every women who participated cheered each other and spread the message that they were strong, bold, and beautiful when united. The strong message that the I'M SAFE app aimed to convey to the world was achieved through them, through the spirit of the marathon. It showed that women are resilient, supportive, and willing to break barriers. Thanks to the teams of I'M SAFE, Ruah Tech, and Axlerate, that day became a memorable experience for everyone present. The event was a blessing for more than thousands of women.
Post event we had a wonderful chance to meet Mrs.Preethi Daniel, the Co-founder of the organization called "You are Loved" that seeks to empower communities through education, employment and enlightenment. I was inspired by her Leadtalks where she was sharing about the journey of their organization along with her husband Mr. Daniel Jacob.
Overall this Marathon empowered everyone who came to participate, volunteer and to work. This is now another remarkable memorable experience that will stay and will last in my memory lane timelessly.
Photos credits to: I'M SAFE (Women's safety app) and Freepik.
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