Australia thanks India for support to marathon man Pat Farmer

Elstoft, who joined Farmer to launch the run from Kanyakumari on 26 January, extended his thanks to the Governments of the 12 states that
were hosting the former MP on his journey across India.

“Wherever he has gone, Mr Farmer and his team have been extended the warmest of welcomes by Government officials and the people of India,”
he said.

Elstoft said the Indian Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the state tourism departments had done a wonderful job in
helping plan the run, as well as providing logistics and ground support.

He also noted the support of Indian High Commissioner in Australia, Navdeep Suri, who had been instrumental in making the event a success.

Elstoft said the run, which is being filmed for a documentary, would show Australians parts of India they had never seen before, helping to
encourage Australians to visit ‘Incredible India’.

“An Australian film crew will document the run as Mr Farmer makes his way from the tip to the top of India, helping create awareness about
India as a ‘must experience’ destination,” he said.

“It will also generate support for charity, particularly to raise funds for education of the girl child in India.”

Mr Farmer will run across 12 states, covering a distance of 4600 km and finish in Srinagar on 30 March.

He launched the epic journey from Kanyakumari on 26 January – an auspicious day in both India (Republic Day) and Australia (Australia
Day).

Farmer has already crossed from Tamil Nadu into Kerala before his journey takes him on to Karnataka, and then on to Goa and Maharashtra.
Farmer will also run through the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab before finally reaching Jammu &
Kashmir.

Image caption: Australia’s Acting High Commissioner to India, Chris Elstoft, runs along with Pat Farmer (third from right), in
Kanyakumari, at the start of Mr Farmer’s ‘Spirit of India’ Run