Kolkata, Feb 4 (IANS): Over 8,000 participants including elite runners, beginners, fitness enthusiasts, corporate teams and spirited youngsters will take part in the Rs.10 lakh prize money Kolkata Marathon to be held Feb 8.

The race categories include full marathon (for men - 42.195 km), 15 km (for men and women, prize money only for women) and the fun run of 5 km.

Sponsored by Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited, India's leading integrated infrastructure institution, the eighth edition of the Kolkata Marathon will have timing chips for all runners in the full race and the 15 Km race.

The timing chips will allow tracking of each runner from the second he crosses the start line to the all-important finishing line.

Stalwarts from the entertainment and sports fraternity like Jisshu Sengupta, Parambrata Chatterjee, Raima Sen, Sayantika Banerjee, Payel Sarkar, Abir Chatterjee, Manoj Tewary will be present to support the event Sunday, the organisers Kolkata Marathon Committee told the media Tuesday.

The first prize winner in the full marathon will be richer by Rs.3.2 lakh, with the second and third position finishers getting Rs.1.6 lakh and Rs.80,000 respectively.

In the 15-km race, the winning woman participant will get a purse of Rs.1.2 lakh, with the second slated to earn Rs.55,000 and the third Rs.30,000.

"A healthy nation starts with individual fitness which is why this year, the theme of the marathon is 'Fit India, Swasth Bharat'," said Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited vice chairman Sunil Kanoria.

The races will be flagged off from Indira Gandhi Sarani (erstwhile Red Road) by housing and youth services department minister Aroop Biswas.