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Image courtesy of Mumbai Marathon

My daughters and I went to cheer my husband run the half at the Mumbai Marathon yesterday. The event is sponsored by Standard Chartered and in the past seven years that it has been happening in Mumbai, I've witnessed (and read about) the dramatic increase in the number of professional participants, amateur runners, celebrity runners, celebrity cheerleaders, NGOs who benefit from people running for a cause and, of course, spectators. Standard Chartered has made the marathon Mumbai city's preferred platform to come together to do good and "feel the spirit" of togetherness with citizens from all walks of life.

It's been exciting to see friends get very enthusiastic about the causes they support for the Mumbai Marathon and how much money they've raised. One group of private equity investors organized a poker tournament last weekend with all proceeds being donated towards a single charity they chose.

It got me thinking about the opportunities that other brands have to create and sponsor more such sporting or cultural platforms to bring citizens together and catalyze them for positive social benefit through individual efforts.

I'd love to see a big brand step-up to the challenge and do something in Mumbai to motivate citizens to raise more than the Rs. 7 crores for charity that Standard Chartered did last year. Any brand takers?