1st Patna Marathon 2012 PRESS RELEASE

Patna, Jan 7 2012 The organizing team of , 1st Patna Marathon announced few major developments over last few weeks. We had many meetings with Partners, Sponsors, Govt Departments and the global teams regarding successful conduct of this event. In a series of meetings held with Honorable Deputy CM of Bihar at his residence and office till late evening, Shree Sushil Modi jee earnestly requested representatives of Team Patna Marathon (CEO, Atul Kumar, VP, Anandi Singh, Chief People Officer, Piyush Kishore and other members to change the date from 19th Feb 2012 to a later date like 26th Feb 2012. Reason being the logistical challenge of hosting two Global Events in Patna at the same time. The original date of 19th Feb, was suggested by Principal Secy, HRD, Bihar Govt, to coincide with "Global Summit" events on 18th-19th Feb, 2012 where people from many countries including few heads of state from neighboring countries like Nepal, Bhutan are also expected and they also get a chance to participate in Bihar’s 1st Global Scale sports event where elite runners from Africa, other countries, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, UP, neighboring states and rest of India are expected to participate.

Many govt departments including 1) HRD ( Education) 2) Art, Youth & Culture, 3) Health, 4)Tourism, 5) Rural Development, 6) Police had expressed solidarity & support to the event. However City Administration expressed concerns about their ability to host a major conference (Global Summit) and Global Sport, Health, Youth & Fun events at same time. Since, organizers are keen to ensure world class hospitality & participation, they have agreed to change the date by 1 week. HRD Principal Secy had already sent a formal letter to all relevant govt departments expressing support and requesting support. Director, Higher Education also sent a letter to all Universities to participate and volunteer for the event. Tourism Minister, Sunil Pinto jee expressed his support and world class hospitality for attendees, Minister of Youth,Art & Culture Sukhda Pandey jee has assured support and Principal Secretary C Lalsota issued directives to Director, Sports to ensure full support.

There is a tremendous excitement in the Armed Forces, Police Forces also regarding participation in this event. Various educational institutions of Bihar including schools, colleges, NIT, Patna, BIT Patna,NIFT have also been extending full support.

As a preparation for event, the organizers have also started operating out of a Camp office at Shaligram Complex on Ashok Rajpath which is in close proximity to Gandhi Maidan (start point and finish point) and various educational institutions. Our Camp Office at Shaligram Complex, will be formally inaugurated after Makar Sankranti via a Pooja and press conference.

Dr Ajay Kumar, a renowned Doctor and former President of the Indian Medical Association has agreed to become, The Medical Director and will oversee the medical/health related preparations which is most critical part of a Marathon. Route Manager, Sukesh Ranjan of Chanakya Law University had meetings with DGP Abhayanand and DIG Ravindran Shankaran regarding the routes and is co-ordinating the Route Plan and will be co-ordinating the 42km Route, 10km, 5km and other routes with Traffic SP and other city officials. In a meeting with Patna Commissioner, Ramaiah , he also expressed his support and “relief” about change of date from logistics perspective. Since change of date will have a major impact for runners, attendees, the organizers have been assured full support by Dy CM, HRD Minister as various govt institutions.

What is unique about this event is that a global team which connected and emerged via social media has been visiting and/or camping in Patna for last few months. Santosh Pandey, President, Patna Marathon organizing team, spent few weeks in Patna, Chhapra, Delhi, Mumbai, Neeraj Sinha, VP Sponsorship and Shikha Sinha have been camping in Patna for 1 week every month. Ravi Kumar,Director, Media & Outreach is also visiting Patna, Hazipur, Samastipur and area. Our young CIO, Ankit Prakash based in Bengaluru is managing all technical operations. One of our earliest believers and donors, Sandeep Rajarshi, spent time with Patna team during his India trip. While this event is being hosted by BEN, it is being supported and supported by many individuals, organizations (SANTOBA, NOBA) and many other with love for the city, state and the idea of “healthy body, healthy mind”.

We also had positive developments on sponsorship front with relentless efforts of members like Richa Rai from Delhi, Firoz Ansari from Baroda, Atul Gupta (camping in Patna). Few global, many national corporations and fewlocal orgs have confirmed their support to the event as “sponsors” and “partners”, and details will be shared by Neeraj Sinha during the coming weeks. Our team represented by CEO, Atul Kumar, is also participating in Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas in Jaipur. Priyanka, CEO of our charity fund raising partner organisation, Wishberry”, will be re-presenting Patna Marathon at Wharton India Economic Conference at Mumbai.

We are also enhancing our leadership team and executive team. Prof Prabhat Ranjan has agreed to be a Chief Mentor. Nupur Nishith as GM-Creativity and Rajeev Kamal as Head - Design & Creativity have been working on some amazing posters, fliers, calendars and they will be made available via retail stores and online very shortly. In case you are still not excited about the amazing spring / Basant Panchami or National Youth Week then in coming few weeks especially after “Sakrat”, world will start visiting Patna and join the “run”. Our very own, PALTAN, (Ganga Dolphin) will also like to wselcome you to Patn.

So start running/jogging wherever you are since 26th of Feb, 2012 (Sunday), we all will be running for progress. Running for health, Running for different causes.

Different Causes, Different People, ONE Marathon.

Contact:
contact@patnamarathon.com
Aditya Homes Flat No. 101, Anandpuri , West Boring Canal Road, Patna, 800 001
www.patnamarathon.com
http://facebook.com/patnamarathon

My message to William Dalrymple

Dear Mr. Dalrymple,

First of all I would like to introduce myself. I am a born Bihari (Indian). Today I got very offended after reading your interview in WSJ wherein you quoted " that few would’ve turned up had the festival taken place in Patna". As a Bihari and also a resident of Patna, I would like to ask you on what basis you are spreading such a negative image of Patna?

Bihar & Patna is already suffering from a negative image due to biased Indian media and on the top of that such statement from a Historian and writer of your repute does no good to this image but having an incremental impact on the bad perception.

Few year back ( in 2007) also you had given similar statement in Financial Times London regarding Bihar wherein you has given a statement which was about an election in Bihar at a time when there was no election in Bihar. It was extremely negative right from the word go, associating certain reprehensible practices which are culturally far more likely to happen in other states than Bihar.

Some of our fellows Biharis had communicated their apprehensions to you at that time also and you had assured that you will not try to propagate a negative and biased opinion about Bihar any further.

But alas, you did it again this time, and that too without any solid reason. Did you try ever to organise any such thing in PATNA in Bihar? then on what basis such an opinion?

Let me invite you to come to Bihar to get a first hand feel of Bihar/Bihari and our hospitality, culture and warmth. I guarantee that you will be surprised and bowled over.

We are planning to Organize several big festival ( Mahotsava as it is called in HINDI) for example Rajgir Mahotsava, Gaya Mahotsava, Dasrath Manjhi Love Mahotsava, Nalanda Mahotsava, Vikramshila Mahotsava, Patliputra Mahotsava and many more).

The reason for sending this message are not only to communicate to you that we as Biharis are hurt by your irresponsibly statement in international media but also to invite you to have a first hand experience of Bihar so that you can form a more objective and correct opinion about Bihar.

Would also like to invite you to our Facebook Bihar Page and our Volunteer NGO effort for betterment of Bihar. Please see the link below:

a) http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_153744714660549&ap=1
b)http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_188103284536849&ap=1

I also read your clarification that you Love Bihar and hence this invitation to the cause of Bihar. Hope you will reply back or help Bihar rather than only curse and criticize.

regards,

Santosh
Santosh Pandey

UPA govt unfair to Bihar, says MP

PATNA: JD(U)'s Rajya Sabha member and former state planning board chairman N K Singh on Saturday said the UPA is playing "politics of money" as
part of its campaigning for the parliamentary poll but, in the process, distorting facts about Central aids to Bihar.

"Facts speak otherwise," Singh said and cited several examples of how the Centre indulged in stepmotherly treatment to the state. He said as per the Finance Commission recommendation, Bihar should get 30.5% of all divisible taxes. "But the Bihar government's share never exceeded 26%," he added.

He said the selection of three average years for expenditure outlay fixed as per the formula of 12th Finance Commission is also unfair to Bihar in that there were hardly any expenditure due to political uncertainty and President's rule in Bihar during one of the chosen three years. The UPA government turned down the state request that a different set of years be used and debt relief be not denied to it. The UPA government at the Centre also turned down the state government request to treat it as a special category state, he said.

Singh said that loans for Bihar were brought to zero and the grants remained lower than even Assam. Thus, the state suffered both on the loan and the grant components of Central assistance throughout the period from 2002-03 to 2006-07.

He charged the UPA government with favouring only its partners and ignoring others. Bengal Chemical and Fertilizers, a public sector undertaking, was bailed out through a Rs 207-crore revival package to West Bengal. The Hindustan Photo Films and Neyvelli Lignite Corporation of Tamil Nadu was also given similar treatment. But the UPA government did nothing to revive the small and medium enterprises of Bihar simply because it has an NDA government, he said.

This apart, Singh said, the Centre has also not responded to the state's request for a special package each for the floods in 2007 and 2008.

Centrally Planned Inequality Punjab Bihar

Centrally Planned Inequality Punjab Bihar

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Attack On Bihar

After recent attacks on biharis, uttarpradesh and north indians by goodns of Raj Thakrey there has been a sense of discomfort across India. Some of us are very upset and some want to revenge while most have offered to display Gandhigir. In this context our take is that we need not be aggressive but yes we must defend our brothers/sisters by all means. I would say that we should be "assertive". We should not be hesitant to celebrate our festivals like "chath" at all. At the same time we should make all efforts to mix up / assimilate local culture and festivals as well. Guess most progressive people and we Biharis do as well,

As far as, Raj Thakrey and goons are concerned, they are best ignored and "defended against". This whole series of incidents against biharis is giving rise to emergence of bihari subnationalism. Which is much needed. However do not expect most of the well educated and well placed Biharis to speak-up or stand-up and be counted.

Most of them will just prefer to watch silently over TV or read newspapers and analyse for few weeks and then move on to their routine life. Some of the political kind will try to get some mileage out of it (this side or that side but their end goal is to benefit) . Those whose bread and butter is affected or those whose life and honor is being threatened will either react in self-defence or migrate to safer places. However some, especially the young students will see this as a wake-up call and they will react by their heart. We need to make sure that the reaction is on right track. We don't resort to the level of "goondas" on road. We must prepare to defend and support our people and at the same time, wake-up to the reality that there is no place like home. We must try to give our best to our current place (Maharashtra or Delhi or US) but at the same time should also retain our connections with the homeland and continue to give back to our parent society(bihar, jharkhand or india).

For almost 2 months i have been hopping from city to city (Patna, Munger, Rajgir, Nalanda, Tilaiya, Hazaribagh, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Gurgaon, Delhi). If the socio-economic-political trends as observed by a non-expert are to go by then we are already on the path of socio-economic renaissiance. The dark days are over. Bihar is going through a churn and transformation that will really shake up the world. In the few weeks that I was in Patna, there were some or other othe trade-expo, seminar, socio-economic event going on. Patna's calendar was very busy and so was rest of bihar. National/International level sports events and positive events going on.

We truly are living in very very interesting times and the outlook is very positive. These attacks on Biharis are sad but hopefully yet another incident reflecting the "awakening" of bihari subnationalism. As long as we were willing to build the roads, work as maids and servants or IT/Management Coolies then the local "netas" were okay with us. However as soon as we started displaying some solidarity and display of our cultural heritage then the world has problems. Very soon the IT and Management "coolies" amongst us will also start showing their Bihari Identity without any disrespect for the local identity, the world will start respecting us. The display of strength of IMA (Indian Medical Association) was one good example. Many more such "skirmishes" will take place but in the end, we will emerge stronger.

Bihar is the most promising market for talent, mobile, pharma, tourism, agribusiness, innovation and many other industries. Smart money of Sunil Mittal, Ambani, Tata, Mahindra and others are already benefiting from the "market". Bihar-jharkhand is world's fastest growing mobile market, but soon they will start jumping in many other sectors as well


To sum it up,
a) Let us remain assertive and not be aggressive. Losers like Thakrey will lose steam soon.
b) Let us see the big picture and remain focussed on rebuilding Bihar2.0 and giving our best to India and world
c) Bihar is an opportunity for the smart brains to see and insecure societies/people to feel threatened
d) Let us remain connected to our roots
e) In whichever society we go we need to have strong local networks so that we remain safe.

Written by Ajit Chouhan

Shotgun, you just lost an oppertunity

He was famous as Bihari Babu in Bollywood, and that identity led him do a few Bhojpuri films recently. An actor turned leader, who has dreams of becoming the Chief Minister of Bihar someday... (and he was even angry to BJP, because they did not presented him as CM during last Bihar Polls).

But no one... not even a single person even thought that HE can support Shivsena Chief against BIHARIs (and other north Indians), but yesterday he said "Bal Thackray is like a God for me... and I support his move towards Biharis. I even agree that out of 300 vacancies, at least 275 seats in Mumbai should be reserved for Marathis (for any post)... "

Wow... its so great to hear all this... we are already getting reservations due to caste, creed, and religion... do you want to start a system, where reservation should be based on the Language one speaks, and on the basis of the state, one belongs to ???

I having nothing much to say Mr. Shotgun, but you have just lost the oppertunity to become a chief minister of Bihar someday... I am not sure, if you would have achieved that post, but now I am pretty sure that you wont be able to face Biharis, or represent Bihar anymore... Just due to a small statement, You have dashed your dream by your hands itself...

You may read the complete article in Bhojpuri at
mvcaz
http://www.bhojpuria.com/samachar/news.php?a=5024

Let's boycott the people, who earn from Bihar... but work against Bihar.

Sudhir Kumar
Bhojpuria.com
Phone: 9334 777 777

Nitish Speaks Out-You welcome migrants to build skyscrapers and once done, you hate them

Political leaders are shooting their mouths off in a very irresponsible manner and common citizens are bearing the brunt. This should stop immediately. The Prime Minister should take the lead and convene a meeting of leaders from Bihar and Maharashtra to find a solution. The "hate campaign" against Hindi-speaking people is spreading each day. It has now touched the icons (even some film stars have come out to support the intolerance). The direction this is taking or the one that's being given to this issue is certainly not in the national interest.

Whatever is happening in Maharashtra is very dangerous for the country. It’s not only a question of Bihar or Biharis. Things are drifting ahead and if they are not checked urgently, then it could be very detrimental for the country. That’s why I am urging the Union Government and the Prime Minister to intervene without any delay. For, it is the responsibility of the Union Government to protect the interests of the country.

Political leaders are shooting their mouths off in a very irresponsible manner and common citizens are bearing the brunt. This should stop immediately. The Prime Minister should take the lead and convene a meeting of leaders from Bihar and Maharashtra to find a solution. The “hate campaign” against Hindi-speaking people is spreading each day. It has now touched the icons (even some film stars have come out to support the intolerance). The direction this is taking or the one that’s being given to this issue is certainly not in the national interest.

It is sad that the Centre so far hasn’t taken the matter seriously. If the Centre does not intervene, it will send a wrong signal. Several questions will be raised. It may be construed that the Centre has given consent towards vitiating the atmosphere in Maharashtra. This is very dangerous.

So far as migration of people from Bihar and north India to Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra is concerned, it should be clear that there is nothing illegal about it. India is one country. It is the Constitutional right of its every citizen to work and settle anywhere in this country.

Further, Biharis have contributed immensely to the economic growth of Mumbai and Maharashtra. Without labour from Bihar and other north Indian states, would it have been possible to undertake the huge construction work in Mumbai and other parts of the country? Haven’t masons and labourers from Bihar contributed in building the skyscrapers that Mumbai today boasts of? You welcome migrants when their labour and skill are needed. And once economic growth is achieved, you turn them into hate figures. Is this fair?

I accept that the backwardness of Bihar and the eastern region is a key factor that leads people to migrate to other parts of the country in search of employment. But that’s not the whole truth. There are social factors too. However, economic growth of Bihar in particular and the eastern region in general is the need of the hour to end regional imbalances.

For a long time, Bihar has been asking for a special economic package from the Centre. The state has always suffered from a development deficit due to lopsided economic policies of the Centre.

Bihar and the eastern region need special attention and care to catch up with the rest of the country. It is very essential for the country too. India cannot hope to become developed, peaceful and prosperous if the eastern region lags behind.

Ever since my government came to power in the state, we have been pressing for the economic package. In 2004, both the President and the Union Finance Minister, in their speeches during the Budget session, talked about it. But sadly, even after five years it has not come.

The economic package will spur a host of activity in the state. People will have plenty of job opportunities in their home state. Then the compulsion to migrate to other states will end. Already, my government has undertaken construction work on a huge scale and the results are positive. Migration figures from Bihar have decreased to great extent. Some time back, I was in Punjab and people there confirmed that the number of people coming from Bihar has decreased to a great extent. When my Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi was in Gujarat last year, industrialists urged him to make an appeal to Biharis to come to their state.

The motto of my government is very clear. People should not be compelled to leave the state to earn just two square meals for themselves and their families. If they want to go out for their own betterment, they are welcome to do so and they should be welcomed wherever they go. My government is committed to achieving such a situation. We are working hard to improve the situation, it has improved a lot but a lot remains to be done. Support from all quarters, particularly the Centre is needed. Bihar deserves a special economic package. The public and the private sector, too, should come forward and invest in the state. It will benefit them. Bihar has tremendous potential. It should be harnessed if the country wants to become developed. Moreover, development of Bihar and the eastern region is imperative for peace and prosperity in the country.

The immediate danger for peace and prosperity in India, however, is the situation in Mumbai and Maharashtra. I urge, repeat, urge the Centre to realize the danger it poses for the country and intervene towards an amicable solution.