International Longevity Centre Global Alliance - a multinational consortium consisting of member organizations.

25th June 2014

The International Longevity Centre-India (ILC-I) organized a Mini Walkathon of senior citizens to mark the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on the 15th of June 2014 in Pune.

Nearly 400 senior citizens participated in this Mini Walkathon which covered a stretch of nearly three kilometers. After congregating at a designated point, the senior citizens proceeded to walk towards the venue where a small programme was arranged by ILC-I.

The seniors, sporting specially designed T-shirts and caps, walked with great energy and enthusiasm, carrying placards with slogans like “Respect Elders, No Abuse”, “Elder Abuse is not just a crime, but a sin” and many more.

Many leading Puneites, who were senior citizens, walked the Walkathon. They included, besides the Chairman of ILC-I, Mr. Jayant Umranikar, the eminent orthopaedic surgeon of Pune, Dr. K. H. Sancheti, Air Marshal Bhushan Gokhale, retired Commissioners of Police among others. Some older persons over the age of ninety and quite a few over the age of eighty also participated in the Walkathon. Great energy and tremendous enthusiasm of the senior citizens were the hallmarks of this Walkathon.

The Walkathon terminated at the Law College Auditorium where the President of ILC-I, Dr. R. A. Mashelkar and Mr. C. S. Pathak, Hon. Director, ILC-I, welcomed the participants.

The programme began with a welcome address by Mr. Umranikar, felicitation of the sponsors and then the speech by the Guest of Honour, Dr. Sancheti. The Inaugural session came to a conclusion with the Presidential Address by Dr. Mashelkar.

After a short break for refreshments and breakfast, the leaders of the senior citizens’ organizations addressed the gathering. A short skit on elder abuse was also performed by senior citizens.

The programme ended with a thundering round of applause.