118 take part in anti-drug road race

In a spirited drive against drug abuse, the Nasha Mukti Abhiyan Samiti of Dharampur block organised a state-level road race at Tihra in Mandi district on Friday, drawing participants and supporters from across Himachal Pradesh. The initiative aimed to steer youth toward healthier lifestyles by harnessing the power of sports and fitness.

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The 10-km race, which started from the PWD Rest House at Bandal and ended at Kamalah Galu, saw an impressive turnout of 118 participants—87 young men and 31 young women—from various parts of the state. The race was flagged off by Dr Padam Guleria, a retired principal from Sundernagar, with national award-winning athlete Pushpa Thakur, recipient of the Parshuram Khel Medal, present to lend her support.

Dharampur MLA Chander Shekhar distributed over Rs 1.5 lakh in cash prizes to the top 10 winners in each category. The prizes, sponsored by local sports enthusiasts, celebrated not only speed and stamina but also a shared commitment to a drug-free Himachal. In the open category, Aneesh from Bilaspur clinched first place, while Rohit and Nagender from Hatgarh finished second and third, respectively. In the age-specific races, Rahul Kumar and Nitesh Sandhu of Hatgarh led the under-20 category, Aryan Chauhan from Hamirpur won in the under-18 group, and Prankul, also from Hamirpur, topped the under-16 race.

The event also honoured the Himachal Pradesh Netball Team, many of whose members are from the Dharampur constituency, for their recent medal-winning performance. In a heartwarming gesture, the organising committee donated Rs 21,000 towards the medical treatment of Manoj Verma, a former athlete from Darwad.

Support poured in from all directions, with contributions from the Mandi Literacy and Science Committee, Himachal Veteran India Association, and various government departments, including health, police, PWD, and water services.

Event Director Bhupinder Bhuppi highlighted the growing concern of substance abuse among the youth and stressed the importance of connecting them with sports and community events. He also announced that similar races and awareness drives would soon be held in Sandhol, Dharampur, Mandap, and Sarkaghat.