Gurgaon’s own Forrest Gump

For some, running is not just a plain sport, it is also a platform to share and support a cause. For Gurgaon resident, Harsh Thakkar, who has participated in the Mumbai and Delhi half-marathons—he has recently got himself registered for the May 31 Bangalore Marathon also—it’s not just participating, instead it’s running for a cause as he has registered himself as a Care Champion and is promoting the cause of an NGO — RangDe, a society that aims to make low-cost micro credit a reality.
“I have registered as a ‘Care Champion’ and am committed to raise social investment (not charity) of Rs 1 lakh for NGO RangDe. This will help increase their visibility and will also help them with their work of supporting micro-entrepreneurs on the lines of what Noble Prize winner Prof Muhammad Yunus did. I would be running 10 km to raise Rs 1 lakh,” says the TCS employee and a volunteer of Maitree.
“RangDe connects a social investor to a needy individual looking for a means to set up or expand his means of livelihood. RangDe believes in providing a sustainable alternative to charity and this has been endorsed with a 100 per cent repayment rate after more than a year of operation,” he adds.
Says Thakkar, “People say I am addicted to running. If I really am addicted then it’s a good addiction to have. For, before any marathon I have to follow a strict 18-week
fitness regime.” That does it!