Ministry of Tourism today felicitated ultra marathon runner and former Member of Australian Parliament Patrick Farmer on successful completion of Spirit of India Run from Kanyakumari to Srinagar.<br/><br/>Mr Farmer ran nearly 4 thousand 6 hundred Kilo metres in a short span of 64 days. He began his run on 26th January this year which coincided with Republic Day of India and the Australia Day. The run ended on 30th March. Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi felicitated Mr Farmer. <br/><br/>Speaking on the occasion, Mr Farmer said, the main purpose behind the run was create better relationship between two great democracies of the world India and Australia and encouraging people-to- people contact. He said, another purpose was to raise fund for girl's education. <br/> <br/>Mr Zutshi described Mr Farmer as the Brand Ambassador of Incredible India in Australia as he has widely travelled India during his 4600 Kilometre long Spirit of India Run. He said, the run will inspire people in Australia to visit India and mutual relations between India and Australia in Tourism sector will be strengthened. He also said the Festival of India in Australia is going to be held this year, which will also boost Tourism in India. <br/><br/>Mr Farmer had ran from the North to the South Pole in 2011-12 and raised more than 1 lakh dollars for Red Cross International's clean water programmes while in 2014, he ran more than 1,300 kilometres in two weeks through the Middle East to raise money and create awareness for peace initiatives in the region.<br/><br/>Mrs.Tania Farmer, wife of Mr Farmer, Dy. High Commissioner of Australia in India Chris Elstoft, CMD, Air India Aswani Lohani, CMD, ITDC Umang Narula were present on the occasion.<br/><br/>The Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of External Affairs, High Commission of Australia in New Delhi along with Air India, State Governments of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Chandigarh have supported the run.