16% rise in charity collections at 2013 Mumbai Marathon

In its tenth year, the Mumbai Marathon saw a 16% increase in charity collection over last year. Organisers of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon announced on Wednesday that the event raised Rs18.61 crore in 2013, compared to Rs16.07 crore in 2012, reports Nidhi Varma.

In its tenth year, the Mumbai Marathon saw a 16% increase in charity collection over last year. Organisers of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon announced on Wednesday that the event raised Rs18.61 crore in 2013, compared to Rs16.07 crore in 2012.

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Education received the biggest support, with 71% of the total funds donated, amounting to almost Rs7.84 crore. Groups helping differently-abled people took the next largest piece of the pie: 34%, or about Rs 2.4 crore.

Fifty corporate houses also contributed Rs50 lakh to the marathon’s charity efforts. Among young, individual fund raisers, last year’s youngest, Meera Mehta, now 14, raised Rs5.13 lakh this year and Rs1.5 lakh in 2012, running in the 6km ‘Dream Run’. She represented Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care (SRLC), a Jain group which supports projects to help the under-privileged. SRLC was also the biggest collector of charity funds, with a total of Rs1.83 crore.

Save the Children India raised the second highest charity collection: Rs1.14 crore.

Vivek Singh, joint managing director, Procam International, the marathon’s event promoter, said, "The marathon is a public-private partnership. We decided not to stick to one cause to encourage individuals to run for the cause they believe in."