Army holds mini marathon to boost civil-military relation in J&K's Poonch

Hundreds of people on Sunday took part in a mini marathon organised by Army's Bhimber Gali brigade in Mendhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, an official said.

The first ever mini-marathon in the border subdivision ahead of the mega Mendhar sports festival was undertaken under operation 'Sadbhavana' (goodwill) to foster unity and social cohesion besides strengthening civil-military relation, he said.

The army official said the event witnessed an overwhelming participation of local populace and drew 400 participants from school and colleges of the Mendhar region, demonstrating their zeal and enthusiasm.

He said the Marathon featured two competitive age categories -- 15 to 30 years and 31 to 45 years. All the participants showcased tremendous spirit, resilience and indomitable will to compete throughout the event.

The event was also aimed at promoting culture, encouraging community engagement and generating a sense of healthy competition among the locals, motivating them to pick-up new skills and nurture them towards their brighter future, he said.

Operation Sadbhavana is an initiative of the Army, which addressed the socio-economic and physiological needs of people. These initiatives focus on education, healthcare, infrastructure, empowerment and provide multiple opportunities to the young talents of the Mendar enabling them to grow in various walks of their life.

The mini marathon marked a significant mile-stone in empowering the youth to adopt a competitive mindset and healthy lifestyle, thereby promoting the operation sadhabhava's objective of peace, stability and development, the official said.

He said the grand finale of the mega event is scheduled on November 25, where the cultural events, dog show, ex-servicemen meet and felicitation ceremony will be organised.

Special stalls will be placed to encourage, inform and empower the local populace, especially youth, towards growth, synergy and development in order to enable them contribute towards nation building, the official said.