Celebrities to run for a cause in Kolkata Half Marathon

More than 20,000 participants from India and abroad, including celebrities, will go the distance in the Kolkata Half Marathon Feb 3 to educate the under-privileged girl child.

Organised jointly by Amity University and Dollar Industries Ltd., the 21-km stretch will witness celebrities like Nigel Akkara and Rahul Bose lead the way in the third edition of the Kolkata Half Marathon - The Royal Bengal Run.

Kicking off from the Mohammedan Sporting Club at 6 a.m. with enthusiasts from all walks of life, the half marathon aims to generate awareness and collect funds for supporting the under-privileged girl child under Amitasha, a project undertaken by the Amity Humanity Foundation.

"The money collected will go for the education of under-privileged girl children. In a situation where there is a lot of injustice, education is very important," said Akkara, a hardened criminal turned actor from Bengal.

According to Akkara, running for such a cause is worthwhile as 53 percent of girl children in the age group of 5 to 9 years are illiterate.

"This is my contribution to society. I am not participating to compete and win an award. Being the part of change that is happening is important," said the actor.