The International Heritage Marathon has successfully concluded in Bharatpur, Chitwan. Organized by the Rotary Club of Chitwan, this event was held in celebration of Bharatpur Visit Year. The marathon began from Ghailaghari in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-23 and ended at Telauli Bazaar in Meghauli, Bharatpur-28. Participants had to cover a distance of 14 kilometers in this international event.
In the men’s category, Sanjay Shrestha secured the first position, while in the women’s category, Prajita Shrestha took the top spot. They completed the designated distance in 45 minutes and 16 seconds, and 56 minutes and 11 seconds, respectively. In the men’s category, Rajendra Tamang came in second with a time of 45 minutes and 17 seconds, Ratna Bahadur Khatri finished third with 45 minutes and 25 seconds, and Dhir Bahadur Budha secured fourth place with a time of 46 minutes and 59 seconds.
In the women’s category, Phulmati Rana took second place, finishing in 56 minutes and 26 seconds. Asha Rana came third with a time of 58 minutes and 29 seconds, and Rajya Laxmi Rana took fourth place, completing the distance in 57 minutes and 38 seconds. The winners in both the men’s and women’s categories were awarded cash prizes of NPR 30,000, NPR 20,000, NPR 10,000, and NPR 5,000, along with certificates and trophies.
Out of the 450 participants, 109 completed the full distance. The competition included non-resident Nepali (NRN) contestants from 19 countries, including the UK, USA, Cambodia, South Sudan, Germany, Australia, and Thailand, as per Bhanu Sharma, the president of the Rotary Club of Chitwan.
Minister for Cultural Tourism and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, the chief guest, highlighted that such events foster unity, goodwill, and awareness about health while promoting tourism. He emphasized the importance of these programs, noting that a healthy individual can contribute to building a healthy society and nation.
Renu Dahal, Mayor of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, mentioned that the Visit Year initiative was organized to boost the district’s economy. She noted that out of the planned programs for the Visit Year, 55 have already been completed and emphasized the metropolitan’s efforts in promoting tourism through various activities. The event also included speeches by Bhanu Sharma, president of the Rotary Club of Chitwan, Bharatpur Metropolitan City Deputy Mayor Chitrasen Adhikari, and event coordinator Rajan Piya.
