Mumbai marathon raises more than Rs 30 crore for disadvantaged – Times of India

People’s dreams of running a marathon signify different things. Some do it for fitness, some for a rush of endorphins, some to make room for extra calories and some for a sense of accomplishment.
Then there are those who aim for the finish line to realise the needs of the disadvantaged-be it employment for tribal widows, a hospital for animals, to preserve mangroves or to give a disabled child another chance at life.
Compassion is at the heart of the Tata Mumbai Marathon since its inception in 2004, and its 18th edition, scheduled on Sunday, has already raised over Rs 30 crore for 249 NGOs and counting, living up to its reputation as India’s largest sports philanthropy platform. The figures raised for charity have seen a meteoric rise with every race-from Rs 1.4 crore in 2004 to Rs 45.9 crore in 2020 until the pandemic brought it to a two-year halt.
Unknown to many, even during the pandemic years, the marathon community raised Rs 5.7 crore for 157 NGOs working on Covid relief activities.The charity paradigm of the marathon-designed to establish a bond between donors and beneficiaries and has over the years championed causes ranging from healthcare and disaster relief to education and equal gender rights-is defined by the likes of Bijal Mehta, a city ophthalmologist who will be charting the 5.9km ‘Dream Run’ on Sunday to raise money for rural and tribal populations of South Gujarat.
Or the indomitable 18-year-old Mihaan Dhall who was born with Down Syndrome and could barely run 100 metres a few years ago. He will be embarking on the 10km run, determined to raise money for Jai Vakeel Foundation that empowers kids with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“Down Syndrome is a disability where learning takes time. So learning for me is hard, but disabilities don’t define you. You can still overcome them and be a rockstar at everything,” says Dhall, who has already surpassed his target by raising Rs 5.5 lakh in his first year of fundraising.
Then there’s Class XI student Navya Banga who joined her father Gagan Banga this year to raise Rs 59.6 lakh for the Oscar Foundation, a community-based ‘sports for development’ organisation that uses the power of football to encourage children from low-income communities to stay in school. While Navya, who was introduced to the foundation by her father, will do the ‘Dream Run’, her father will run full 42km.
“The growing number of individuals, firms and nonprofits is a testament to the power of the event to bring so many people onto common ground. This year we have 848 fundraisers of which 567 are doing it for the first time,” said George Aikara, CEO of United Way Mumbai, charity facilitator for the event. Vivek Singh joint MD, Procam International, marvelled at how Covid had prompted society to further realise “the importance of empathy, wellness and social good”.