Daijiworld Media Network- Mangaluru (VP)
Mangaluru, Feb 18: IDFC Bank, in collaboration with Tapasya Foundation, hosted the three-day Tapasya Beach Festival at Thannirbhavi Beach in Mangaluru.
The festival, which kicked off on February 16, featured an array of events, including an Olympic-level triathlon comprising a 1.5 km swim, 40 km cycling, and a 10 km run, partially along the beach. The entire event was organized to support cancer patients, drawing participants from across India, including individuals from the armed forces.
The three-day Tapasya Beach Festival, taking place from February 16 to 18, received support from Lions Club International Foundation. The event was led by the founder and managing trustee of Tapasya Foundation, Lions Childhood Cancer Coordinator Ln Sabitha R Shetty, secretary Vishwas Rao Ucchil, treasurer Anil UP, mentor Naveen Chandra Hegde, trustee and convenor for Tapasya Beach Festival and Triathlon Dr Asha Jyothi Rai, trustees Dr Sudharama Rai, Mohan Shetty, Hari Prasad Rai Bellipady, Padmini Rao, and advisor and senior partner NBS and Co, chairman of Triveni Group and Rupeeeboss CANB Shetty.
Participants in the 40 km cycling event from Mumbai shared their experiences. One participant stated, "It was fun, although I had a tough time. I'm happy that we are doing this for a good cause. The route was very nice, and the three slopes were amazing. The only thing I felt was we didn't get proper time to practice, but it's good to be here. I'm glad to say that I'm the first from my age category and secured 7th place overall."
Ananth Kane from Mumbai expressed, "I do a few triathlons now and then, but this was a nice experience. The route was nice, and although we couldn't do anything about the sun, the water was fun. We look forward to participating next year. The volunteers have really helped us across the routes, trying their best to assist us."
Harniish J Raj, volunteer of Triathlon, expressed happiness, stating, "It was a pleasure to be part of this event. The Tapasya Beach Festival has mega events, and we are done with volleyball and other sports. The food stalls are amazing, and we have an event called Navanari with the sole intention of empowering women entrepreneurs. We have also made some arrangements for a musical evening. We acknowledge that there can be some mistakes from our side, and we will look into it and come prepared for next year."
A group of students participating in the event expressed joy, saying, "We are here today from our college and have taken part in a few competitions. The energy of all sportsmen gathered here boosted our energy. We genuinely believe that the event was entertaining, and this was the best way we could spend our Sunday."
All participants received medical treatment from KMC Hospital who were the exclusive medical partners of the event, the ministry of Ayush, along with students from Yenepoya and Sharadha Ayurvedic and Physiotherapy College, ensuring a quick response to any medical needs.
Over the past three days, the festival featured various events, including a half marathon, 2 km wheelchair race, 2 km charity walk, fun beach run (5 km of running on the beach), 20 km fun cycling, open-sea fun swim (500 meters of open-sea swimming), dream beach run (10 km running race on the beach), Dream cycling (40 km of cycling race), and dream swim (1,000 meters of open-sea swimming).
The Tapasya Beach Festival provided a fun-filled experience for attendees, featuring additional activities such as a kite festival, beach Kushti, beach volleyball, demonstrations of Kalaripayatu and Malkhamb, a bike show displaying super bikes and super cars, surfing, Krishi Mela, and a food fest.