Around 5,300 Kolkatans braved the early morning chill on Sunday, January 4, to run a marathon in the southern and central parts of the city to raise funds for a diagnostic centre that has been planned to provide low-cost treatment to the underprivileged. The marathon was organised by Tridhara club with Emami and other organizations
The marathon was flagged off by Debasish Kumar, the chief organiser of Tridhara, and the local MLA and the mayoral council member of Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Devlina Kumar, actress and face of the marathon, famous former footballers Jose Barreto and Alvito D’Cunha, city police commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma and several celebrities attended the marathon. “We have organised this marathon to generate funds for a highly subsidised diagnostic centre that Tridhara has planned for the underprivileged section of the society,” said Kumar to The Plurals.
The run, which started early morning, weaved through the major thoroughfares of south and central Kolkata and had several segments: of 21 km, 10 km, 5 km and 3 km. “Apart from the run, which is a one-of-its-kind experience, we could see and feel a Kolkata that many of us never knew,” said a participant who ran part of a marathon for the first time. “It was a great experience,” said a young girl, part of a group busy taking selfies and dancing to the tune of popular chartbusters after the run concluded.
The star attraction of the marathon was Uday Kumar, an inspirational Indian athlete and marathon runner who lost his left leg in a train accident more than a decade back. Despite a more than 90 per cent physical disability, he completed more than 80 marathons, including full and half-marathons. Uday Kumar was conferred with Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award, India’s highest award in adventure sport, by President Droupadi Murmu on January 17, 2025.