Students, staff and faculty of the Indian School of Business (ISB), got together on Saturday, 4 June to run a triathlon consisting of a 5km run, a 15km cycling run and a 1km swim. The event was organised to raise awareness and money for Ashray Akruti, a charity catering to special children.

 

It began with an ardent wish by students to do something productive over the term break. A few discussions over Facebook, right in the midst of exams, led to an initial effort to organise the student body. Within a week, 60 participants signed-up to take part or volunteer in the event. The School supported the students through donations, participation from faculty and by providing any infrastructure needed.

The participants, who felt that it was a meaningful way for them to spend the term break, turned up as early at 6.30am to help with various things such as setting up the area and organising the participants.  Despite the heat, many students came just to cheer and motivate their friends who were participating.  This brought an atmosphere of camaraderie to the campus. It was heart-warming to see parents of students, who were visiting during the term break, also help out enthusiastically with time-keeping and in making sure that participants were adequately rehydrated during the events.

Most participants took part in single events but there were a handful, who tested their endurance by completing all three. Vivekananda Srivastava, a student, who took part in all three events confessed, “I competed because it was for a charity. I wouldn’t have done it if it was a race.”

The students plan to hold such events on a six-monthly basis in order to raise awareness and funds for charity and most importantly, to promote a sense of social duty in the ISB community.

The triathlon ended off with resounding cheers for all the participants and volunteers, who despite their exhaustion, left with a great sense of pride and satisfaction.