MUMBAI: With an aim to bridge the gap and create equal opportunities, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) hosted the first edition of the ‘SPN Vision Run 2020’ on Sunday for visually challenged athletes.
According to a press statement, this initiative was undertaken in association with CSR partner, Cricket Association for the Blind of Maharashtra (CABM). The event saw over 200 motivated visually challenged athletes accomplish a guided five km run along the Worli Sea Face route in Mumbai.
The event was flagged off by Sony Pictures Networks India’s head of CSR Rajkumar Bidawatka, and Cricket Association for the Blind of Maharashtra secretary Ramakant Satam along with prominent television actors from Sony Pictures Networks India, at the Worli Police Campground.
Sony Pictures Networks India’s head of CSR Rajkumar Bidawatka said: “Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) is proud to support CABM in their endeavour to encourage the spirit of true sportsmanship. Empowerment through sports has been a key focus area for us.”
“This opportunity helps us provide every athlete, a fair chance to achieve their dreams. It gives us immense pride to play our role as catalysts in their individual journey by honing their skills and providing them an avenue to go #BeyondBoundaries,” Bidawatka added.
SPN believes that sports is a terrific medium of empowerment and is committed to making a tangible impact to the sports narrative in India, the statement said.
Cricket Association for the Blind of Maharashtra secretary Ramakant Satam said: “We are on a constant lookout for opportunities like the SPN Vision Run 2020. It gives us immense pride to partner with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) and help aid the cause. Our endeavour is to encourage sports participation by ensuring an equal platform for all.”
Every participant was honoured with a certificate and medal to boost their morale and encourage them to further themselves competitively.
The event also witnessed the participation of Amarjeet Singh Chawla, aka, Sporty Sikh, a 64-year-old visually challenged marathon runner, who celebrated his birthday today by completing his 125th run.
The television celebrates present on the occasion were of popular shows like Dev Joshi, Shreedhar Watsar of Baalveer Returns; Aasiya Kazi & Pankaj Berry of Tenali Rama; Smita Bansal, Gulfam Khan & Raashul Tandon of Aladdin: Naam Toh Suna Hoga; along with Indian Idol contestants among others.
The press statement also said that this initiative is one more step amongst an ongoing series of sporting activities, to hone the athletes’ skills and bring them at par with professional level athletes, and it falls under the Empowerment pillar of SPN’s umbrella CSR campaign, ‘Ek India Happywala’.
