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Showing posts from February, 2018

Update on Lotus Funds - A visit to campus

Dear donors, 152 donors, 20 countries, 52k USD raised - Huge thank you! I happened to visit India on a short trip and was lucky to spend a few hours at Lotus Petal. Here are highlights of what I saw. 1. First, your donations are making a difference. Lotus Petal Foundation raised about 2 crores in the recent fundraising drive at DelhiAirTelHalfMarathon and came up #1 (even surpassing Bharti foundation).   Your 33lakhs were a huge contribution to that.  Thank you. 12 new classrooms being built The lotus petal facility is a rented property (rent is about 3 lakhs a month) but the property owner graciously allowed construction.  12 new classrooms are being built and construction work was at full swing.   Given that 75 students were added recently (out of 475 that appeared for registration), these new additions are very important.  There are total of 400 kids at Lotus Petal now. 2. Things that hit you off the bat when you visit Lotus Petal is the dignity and respect that

#12, Finale. When village came together.

Can you believe it? 12th.  Final run.  12/23/2017. What a year it has been.  Month after month, picking a run, waking early morning or driving the day before to race places, running the race, medal/hugs with fellow runners after...each got better than the previous. For final run, stuck to the tried/tested, cook-your-own-race and decided to run close to home.  Bernel complex is a beautiful mile trail which I use for coaching teamasha atheletes.  May to Oct, that had been our track workout hangout where runners ran loop after loop, bettering their previous mile best.  Its familiar territory for sure. And what best, when a legend wants to give you a head start.  Anil Rao, Ultra marathon extraordinaire and a dear friend from early running days, called to say that he will join me at the start. I had 7am as the start time.  Loop is a mile from home so I was taking it easy with morning tea etc. when Anil's call come at 630am.  He was already at the start :-)  Quickly fill