August 17: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Independence, a goodwill run was organised in Mumbai on Sunday under the auspices of Defence Headquarters, Maharashtra and Gujarat Area.

The goodwill run which covered a route of 7.5 kilometres was jointly flagged off from the Chowpatty sands by Brigadier P K Chakraborty, Rear Admiral Y Prasad, Wing Commander P K Jain and Justice Ashok Desai of the Bombay High Court.

There were over 1,000 enthusiastic participants from the Army, Navy and Air Force. It also included about 300 children from NCC Samarth Vyayam Mandal, Dadar, and many children of service personnel.Tricolour balloons reached for the skies to the sound of gun shots as the run began. An army jeep colourfully decorated by architect Dnyanesh Velankar preceded the runners. It ended at the Infantry Battalion ground.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.