DARJEELING,: The four-day Darjeeling Melo Tea Fest concluded
today with the 11th edition of Darjeeling Hill Marathon, drawing participants
from across the globe.
This year’s marathon, which started and
ended at the iconic Chowrasta, witnessed participation from around 3,500
runners. Competitors ranged from local athletes to international marathoners
with entries from Kenya, Africa, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. “The turnout has
been tremendous,” said Darjeeling SP Praween Prakash.
The marathon had five categories. In the
10K Open Run, Puran Rai from Kalimpong won the men’s event, while Anjuli Subba
from Sikkim triumphed among the women.
The 10K Police Open Run saw Vithal Wadje
from Gorubathan and Puja Mondal from Kolkata clinch the top spots in the male
and female categories respectively.
21K Open Run, the most competitive
category, saw Kenneth Kimanthi Kinithinji from Kenya and Anjali Kumari from
Bihar take the gold in the male and female divisions.
Daniel Cheriyot and Genet Shikur Rashid
emerged victorious in the 35-44 age segment of 21K. In the 21K run for above 44 years of age,
local runners Dharma Maharjan and Saraswati Rai claimed the first positions in
their respective categories.
Runners praised the challenging terrain.
“This is a tough route and if one can run here, I believe they can run anywhere
in the world. The best part of this race is the stunning natural beauty along
the route and the constant encouragement from the local people, who cheer us on
throughout the run," said Santoshi Shrestha from Nepal, a participant in
the 21K run.
Beyond the marathon, the Melo Tea Fest
was a celebration of Darjeeling’s rich heritage. The festival, which began on
December 19, featured an array of activities from tea-tasting sessions to
cultural performances.
Speaking about the event’s growing
popularity, SP Praween Prakash said, “This fest was organized for the people of
Darjeeling and their participation was overwhelming. We envision the event
becoming a global brand in the coming days and attracting more tourists and
boosting the local economy.”
The festival’s finale was a musical
treat. Performances by bands like ‘Yellow Hammer’ and ‘Reincarnation’ set the
tone during the day, while the evening saw a high-energy performance by ‘Girish
and The Chronicles’.
