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Run organised around Chilika Lake to raise funds for kids’ eye cancer treatment
Named “Mera Terah Run”, or MTR, a voluntary group started daily runs on December 19 at Mangalajodi along the lake in Odisha. The Indian Navy personnel from the INS Chilka camp also joined them
A group of over a dozen people from across the country ran 13km for six days around Odisha’s Chilika Lake as part of a campaign to increase awareness and raise funds for a foundation that supports the treatment of children suffering a form of eye cancer common in developing countries.
Named “Mera Terah Run”, or MTR, the group started the daily runs from December 19 at Mangalajodi along the lake. The Indian Navy personnel from the INS Chilka camp also joined them.
The group collects funds for social causes annually. It decided to explore the lake this year to raise funds for Iksha Foundation, which identifies children suffering from retinoblastoma and supports their treatment and care.
“Like every year, we decided to run for a cause. This year, it was for raising funds for Iksha Foundation through Wildlife for Cancer (website). The runners took an adventurous trail around the lake to explore the biodiversity hotspot coupled with some challenging running pursuits. What began as the runs to raise funds for children suffering from eye cancer grew into much more with our meetings with local communities, researchers, conservationists, and artisans,” said Rajesh Vorkady, 49, a volunteer for MTR.
The daily runs began at Mangalajodi, a marshy village on the shores of the lake where thousands of migratory birds arrive annually, on December 19. The next day the runners met Tiasa Adhya, a biologist who works for the conservation of fishing cats in the lake. Over the next five days, the group ran on Rajhans Island, Barkul, and Puri sea beach while trying to raise funds for the Iksha Foundation.
Vorkady said the runs were successful as they raised the funds they wanted to. “Wildlife for Cancer was started by Ramki Srinivasan, a wildlife photographer to raise funds for underprivileged children suffering from cancer by selling his stunning pictures of India’s wildlife. The proceeds go to the Iksha Foundation,” said Vorkady.
Software engineer Jagdish Damania launched MTR in 2014 with the motto: “run, rail, road, raise”. “All the funds that we raise go directly to the beneficiaries. This collective helps bind like-minded people to participate in events for a cause,” said Vorkady.
