Running has always been more than just a sport. In Deomali, on a quiet Friday morning, it became a statement.
Red on the Road, Red in the Mind
A 5-km ‘Red Run’ mini marathon hit the streets of Deomali in Tirap district on August 21, turning heads and, hopefully, changing minds. Organised with the singular goal of pushing HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infection (STI) awareness among young people, the event was anything but a routine race. The colour red — long associated with the global fight against AIDS — was front and centre, and the energy in the air made it clear that this wasn’t just a morning jog. It was a message delivered at running pace.
Who Came Together to Make It Happen
What stands out about this event is how many hands were involved. The Red Ribbon Club of Wangcha Rajkumar Government College took the lead, but they didn’t do it alone. The college’s NSS unit stepped in, the Deomali forest range office lent its support, and Care Me Home Welfare Society joined the effort. All of this happened under the umbrella of the Arunachal Pradesh State AIDS Control Society. That kind of multi-agency collaboration in a district like Tirap — remote, underserved, and often overlooked — is genuinely worth noting. Events like these don’t just happen; they take real coordination and commitment.
‘Youth for HIV & STI’ — A Theme That Hits Home
The theme chosen for the run — ‘Youth for HIV & STI’ — wasn’t accidental. Young people across Northeast India, including in Arunachal Pradesh, remain a vulnerable demographic when it comes to both HIV transmission and awareness gaps. Talking about STIs in smaller towns and district headquarters is still considered taboo in many circles. So when a college takes its Red Ribbon Club out to the streets, that silence starts to crack — just a little. And sometimes, a little is all it takes to start something bigger.
Why a Marathon? Why Not a Seminar?
There’s something powerful about choosing a run over a classroom lecture. People who wouldn’t sit through a health talk will show up for a community run. They’ll wear the t-shirts, they’ll share the photos, and somewhere between the starting line and the finish, the message finds its way in. Physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle were also part of the event’s stated goals — and that pairing of body and awareness is smart outreach, not just feel-good optics.
Deomali ran on Friday. And in doing so, it reminded everyone watching that awareness isn’t something you wait for — sometimes, you have to sprint toward it.
HASHTAGS
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