Rotary Club Of Pune Baner conducts Purplethon, a walk for a cause

Pune, 31st May 2022: The Rotary Club of Pune Baner organized Purplethon, a special walkathon on Sunday, May 29, 2022, at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi from 7.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. More than 100 walkers participated in the event with great enthusiasm.

Purplethon took place inside the sports complex where a five-kilometre walking track was laid out for the purpose. The Rotary Club of Pune Walhekarwadi was the co-host for the event. The Rotaract club of Indira College lent active support to the event.

Purplethon was flagged off by the chief guest, Dr Nilesh Kurwale, an epilepsy surgeon and head of the epilepsy centre at the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and Research Centre, Pune.

The participants were a mix of the young and the old alike, most of whom walked the entire circuit of the 5 km track. A series of body stretches and cooling exercises were conducted by a fitness specialist after the walkathon. This activity was followed by refreshments and an exhilarating dance fitness session by Zeyanjee, a dance instructor. “I thoroughly enjoyed both the walk at Purplethon and the dance session”, said Neelima Bhate, a CA by profession.

Speaking about the event, the President of RCP Baner, Rtn. Sanket Saraf said, “Purplethon is organized with an aim to create awareness about and to raise funds for the epilepsy surgeries project currently being carried out by the Club.

The registration cost for the event was Rs. 250 and the event was open to all. The Rotary Club of Pune Baner supports epilepsy surgeries for the needy and garners support for this noble cause via events such as this. We are a CSR compliant club and seek donations towards this noble cause via this event. We have already received funds under CSR from some companies.”

Says Manish Deshpande, a business owner who participated in the event, “Today’s Purplethon was very well organized”. Says another participant, Preeti Bhatia, “It was a great event and well executed”.

Dr. Nilesh Kurwale, who inaugurated the event said in his address, “Epilepsy gets totally cured with surgery and the patients can get a productive living ahead for the rest of their lives without dependence on medication after the surgery. Thus, this event holds a great significance as it throws light on these surgeries”.

Dr Kurwale is among the top epilepsy surgeons in the country and conducts more than 150 surgeries every year. These surgeries cost upwards of Rs. 2 lakhs and thus become beyond reach for the poor.

President Sanket Saraf and Captain Pradeep Nadkar were in the lead for organizing the event. Rtn. Prreeya Karia was the coordinator of the event. Some prominent persons who were present on the occasion other than Dr. Kurwale were, Asst. Governor, Rotary District 3131, Balvir Chawla, Rtn. Sachin Khole, President of Rotary Club of Pune Walhekarwadi, Rtrctr, Rohit MK, (President of Rotaract club of Indira College), Laxmikant Ranjane, writer, poet and theatre actor, Mayur Patil, from Kutwal Foods. Some club members who were also present at the event were, Sect. Rtn. Aniruddha Joshi, Treasurer, Rtn. Unmesh Risbood, and others. Drinking water for the event was sponsored by Kutwal Foods Pvt. Ltd.