Bengaluru, November 2022: “Run Freely Again”- the Theme logo of Bengaluru Midnight Marathon (BMM) 2022 was unveiled at a Press Conference held in the city today. BMM- the country’s only midnight marathon is a member of AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races), and has over the last 14 years grown into a marathon of international repute. This year is its 15th edition and today is one of the leading Marathon runs in the world, with the participation of over 11,000+ runners. Organized by Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor (RBITC) as its key annual fundraising event, thousands of professional runners, international athletes, supporters, corporates, and NGOs are expected to run in this year’s BMM which will be held at KTPO, Whitefield, Bangalore on Saturday, 10th. December 2022.
The Press Conference was jointly addressed by Dr. Seemanthini Desai- President of Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor 2022-23 (RBITC), Mr. Viraf M Sutaria- Chairman of BMM 2022, and Mr. Gul Mohammed, Race Director-BMM. Also present at the event was Youth Ambassador Swapnil Sanjay Patil, International Para Swimmer, and Silver Medalist at the Asian Para Games 2018. Guest of Honour – 94-year-old Marathoner, NS Dattatreya, graced the occasion. The event also witnessed the official announcement of Avinash Sable, India’s 3,000m Steeplechase 9 times National record holder and the silver medalist at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games 2022, as the Brand Ambassador of the 15th Edition of PhonePe Bengaluru Midnight Marathon (BMM) 2022.
The highlight of this year’s BMM is the introduction of the Fast 5K Run (timed) and the introduction of the Virtual Marathon in association with India Running to reach out to the larger audience who can’t be physically present at the event.
A running event for all – PhonePe BMM 2022 has all the right ingredients for those looking for some serious running experience and also for those who want to better their timing – whether it is 5K or 10K or the Half/Full Marathon. BMM is also the perfect platform for those who want to experience the fun of participating in a Midnight Running event. The theme for this year’s BMM is aptly chosen as “Run Freely Again.” After two years of the Pandemic controlling most of our lives, it’s time to celebrate the spirit of freedom, the freedom to ‘BE.’
President of Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor (RBITC) Dr. Seemanthini Desai shared, “BMM is the flagship fundraising event for RBITC’s social service projects which are focused on Education, Healthcare, and Environment, with a strong focus on Women and Child Development. We have over the last 15 years completed projects valued at INR 25 crores+. The funds raised over the last 14 editions have been used to extensively bring about the transformational impact on the underprivileged through innovative solutions that are self-sustainable and replicable”.
Commenting on the partnership with BMM 2022, Ramesh Srinivasan, Director of Brand Marketing at PhonePe said, “We are excited to be the title sponsors of the country’s only Midnight Marathon for the 3rd year in a row. Headquartered in Bengaluru, we are thrilled to be investing in the community’s health and fitness by encouraging people to run. The idea of partnering with prestigious organizations such as the RBITC and AIMS for this fund-raising event of international repute resonates with our philosophy of giving back to the society we operate in.”
Speaking about the partnership with India Running, Mr. Viraf M Sutaria, Chairman, BMM 2022 shared, “We are excited to be partnering with India Running, by fit page, for this edition of BMM as our Registration and Training Partner. Through this partnership, we hope to reach out to a larger audience and also provide much-needed training support for our professional and amateur runners. The highlight for this year will be the introduction of the Fast 5K Run, which will create the momentum for Runners to graduate towards longer distances”.
Added Mr. Sutaria, “We are honored to have Avinash Sable as the Brand Ambassador for this year’s edition of BMM. He is an inspiration for today’s generation and shows us that nothing is impossible if you have the courage to believe in yourself.”
“I am extremely pleased to be part of an event like Bengaluru Midnight Marathon that not only provides a platform for athletes and running enthusiasts but is also deeply involved in socially relevant causes. I am looking forward to this new experience and seeing all the participants on the event day,” said Avinash Sable in a statement issued by RBITC.
The online registrations for all the events have been announced and participants can register online by logging onto www.midnightmarathon.in
Marathons have come to be known and well-established as one of the largest community sports events in the nation, for some years now. Every year, hundreds of thousands of runners have been actively participating in Marathons across the country for creating awareness of various social and charitable causes. Bengaluru Midnight Marathon has the distinction of being one of them and is the key fundraising event for RBITC’s various charitable activities. Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor has been successfully conducting the Bengaluru Midnight Marathon since 2007 and has over the years attracted 80,000 plus runners from across the world in celebration of the city, and its people and to create awareness about living healthy. The first edition of the BMM was held on May 19th, 2007.