‘Face of The Event’ - Leander Paes

IDBI Federal Life Insurance Signs Up As Title Sponsor For Kolkata Marathon 2016

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Marketing | January 4, 2016 | News

Kolkata Marathon IDBI Federal Life Insurance Leander Paes

IDBI Federal Life Insurance has been announced as the new Title Sponsor for the Kolkata Marathon 2016. The 9th edition of the city’s only full marathon will be held on Mar 6, 2016. Multiple Grand Slam winner and Padma Bhushan Awardee, Leander Paes will be ‘Face of the Event’.
 
The marathon will have 5 race categories: Full Marathon – 42.195 Km, Half Marathon – 21.097 Km, Open & Corporate Challenge – 10 Km each and the Fun Run – 5 Km. This annual property is among the few full marathons in India and has grown from 6,000 participants for its debut, 9 years ago, to 15,000 participants in 2015. The Kolkata Marathon is also an official qualifier race for the Rio Olympics.
 
Entry fee for the Full Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K Open is Rs.550 each. The Fun Run registrations can be made for Rs.300 and the Corporate Run (for a 6-member team), Rs.3,500. Online registrations can also be done through the event website - www.kolkatamarathon.com. The 2016 IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon will be flagged off from Kolkata’s Red Road, in front of Ranger's Club.

Speaking about the association, Vighnesh Shahane, CEO, IDBI Federal Life Insurance, said, “It is a matter of joy and pride for us to be associated with this prestigious running event as its Title Sponsor, now called the ‘IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon’. Wellness is a key value we try to propagate within our organisation and running is integral to wellness. Our connection with the City of Joy is special as well, and we look forward to strengthening it further with this sporting association.”
 
Commenting on the ‘Face of The Event’ announcement Shahane added, “It is befitting that someone like Leander Paes, who is among the biggest stars of Indian sports is the face of the event and is supporting the marathon. At 42, Leander is fitter than most youngsters today and is a role model for the younger generation. Sports help us reach out to a wide audience, and tap a large demographic profile and is gender agnostic. Sports inspire qualities that we firmly identify with, and believe in. It is the vehicle of choice for brand-building initiatives for IDBI Federal. Being a sportsman myself, it gives me immense pleasure to contribute to India’s sporting fabric and help inspire positive change in future generations. We are committed to sports, and will continue to identify and add similar such sports initiatives to our portfolio.”

Leander Paes also spoke about his association with the event and said, “I am delighted to be associated with the IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon. Kolkata has a special place in my heart as I have spent many formative years of my life here. To see the event grow from the first edition to the ninth edition, in terms of participation and even awareness in the city has been an interesting journey. One cannot emphasise the importance of good health enough, and with running, you can simply just get up and go! I’m proud to be a part of the Kolkata Marathon in my home city, and urge people to come out in great numbers.”

The event is managed by HighLife Management and is held exclusively for Indian athletes, to promote and encourage the best running talent in India.

Saurav Chatterjee, Director & CEO, HighLife Management, said, “It’s my immense pleasure to welcome IDBI Federal Life Insurance as the Title Sponsor for the 2016 edition of the Kolkata Marathon. We are delighted that Leander Paes has shown support towards the marathon and we welcome him on board to help promote the marathon in the city. Only Indian athletes are eligible for the prize money in the Kolkata Marathon, as it aims to promote athletics at the grassroots level in the state and to give Indian athletes a platform to showcase their talent. The IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon continues to spread the message of health and wellness in the community. We hope to see tremendous enthusiasm and support for all the runners once again this year and look forward to the 'new' and exciting edition of Kolkata’s own Marathon."