The inauguration of the Ekal Run was graced by Geeta Phogat, an acclaimed Wrestler, along with the presence of notable figures such as Neel Bhattacharya and Rahul Dev Bose, actors; Debadrita Basu, actress; Soumojeet Adak, director; A K Arya, DIG BSF; Surjeet Singh Guleria, Dy. Inspector General (G), HQ SDR (EC), BSF; CA. Ranjeet Kumar Agarwal, Vice President of ICAI; and numerous other eminent personalities.

Gaurav Bagla, President of FTS Yuva, Kolkata Chapter, expressed his delight, stating, “Having Geeta Phogat join us for the 5th Edition of Ekal Run was truly overwhelming. Running epitomizes life—you reap what you sow. This aspect makes Ekal Run all the more thrilling for the residents of the City of Joy, particularly with its motivating initiative to educate rural children. Participants received T-shirts, goodie bags, and food boxes, while winners and runners-up were honored with medals and mementos.”

The event boasted the participation of key members from FTS Yuva, including Anirudh Modi as the mentor, Niraj Harodia as the National Coordinator, and a roster of dedicated individuals serving various roles within the organization.

About FTS: Friends of Tribals Society (FTS) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to uplifting underprivileged rural children. They operate 49,203 One Teacher Schools, known as “EKAL VIDYALAYA,” providing non-formal education to 15,19,721 children in India’s remotest villages. FTS focuses on holistic child development, striving to uplift entire villages. With 37 chapters across India and Kolkata as its headquarters, FTS received the prestigious Gandhi Peace Prize 2017, honored by former President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Geeta Phogat started her career as a freestyle wrestler and in 2010, she would go on to win India’s first-ever gold medal in wrestling at the Commonwealth Games. Later, she went on to be the first-ever Indian female wrestler to qualify and represent India at the Summer Olympic Games. Coming from a small village in the state of Haryana, Geeta Phogat found it extremely challenging to follow her dreams of becoming a wrestler and to work towards making them a reality. Geeta Phogat also became the first woman wrestler to represent India at the Olympics, an accomplishment unparalleled at the time and set a benchmark for future Indian women wrestlers.

Speaking to the media, Mr. Gaurav Bagla, President FTS Yuva, Kolkata Chapter said, “I am thrilled to announce that Geeta Phogat will flag off our 5th Edition of Ekal Run. FTS Yuva is at the forefront of organizing this exceptional marathon which is for the cause of educating the rural children. This marathon inspires individuals to exceed their limits and achieve remarkable feats, at the same time contributing to this noble cause. With unwavering dedication, Ekal Run brings together athletes, enthusiasts, and communities to create moments of triumph and camaraderie that last a lifetime.”

Key Members:

FTS Yuva Board Members – Anirudh Modi Mentor; Niraj Harodia – National Coordinator; Gaurav Bagla, President; Rishabh Saraogi, Vice President; Vikash Poddar, Vice President; Abhay Kejriwal, Vice President; Vinay Chugh, Advisor; Raunak Fatesaria, Secretary; Rohit Bucha, Jt. Secretary; Rishav Gadia, Treasurer,; Rachit Chowdhary, Jt. Treasurer; Mayank Saraogi, Head Donation & Fund Raising; Ankit Deewan, Head Membership, Yogesh Choudhury, PRO and Vaibhav Pandya, Board Member.

About FTS:

Friends of Tribals Society (FTS), a non-profit, non-governmental and voluntary organization committed towards upliftment of underprivileged rural children. They are running 49,203 One Teacher Schools – popularly called as “EKAL VIDYALAYA” which provide non- formal education to 15,19,721 children in remotest villages of India. FTS focuses on the holistic development of a child and through their endeavor they uplift the entire village. They operate from 37 chapters across India, Kolkata being the Headquarter. They are also a recipient of the prestigious Gandhi Peace Prize 2017 and had the privilege of receiving this award from the honourable former President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind and honourable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi.