7 interesting participants at the IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon 2016

One of the biggest marathons in the Indian running circuit will take place in the City of Joy, Kolkata. The IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon will be host to thousands of runners across five categories on 6 March 2016.The last edition of this marathon saw over 15,000 and that number should be greater for the 2016 event. The marathon is also an important event for all the hopefuls looking for a ticket to the Rio Olympics 2016, being an official qualifying event for the prestigious games.There would be five race categories ranging from the full marathon, which is 42.195 km to the fun run, which is 5 km in length.While there are many serious contenders for this year’s marathon, we list out some of the top athletes that will be not only be running for joy but also to promote the important of good health and fitness in this day and age:

#1 Kavin Kondabathini

Kavin Kondabathini has always had an adventurous streak about himself. During his school days, and even while he was pursuing college his focus strayed beyond the classroom to the track. Starting small with 100-metre races, Kavin never imagined he would someday touch 100 kilometres!

It was this bold, can-do spirit that inspired him to even try for the army. However, his family wasn’t too keen on this idea. He gave up his pursuit of the forces and began his corporate journey.

Not the one to give up easily, he began a 20-minute walk-run-walk regime and later joined a running club. When he was working at Capita in 2009, the company had registered its employees for the half marathon; they only needed to run 6 km. Kavin was so enthusiastic that he ran the entire race with minimal training.

Over the years, he has evolved as an athlete, turning his hobby into a full-time activity. He has run over 50 half marathons,14 full marathons and 3 ultra-marathons across the country and has taken part in National and International events.

His international career highlights include winning two Bronze Medals for India in the Duathlon and Half Marathon at the World Master Games at Turin, Italy in August 2013. He has also participated and represented India at the Mercantile Athletic Meet at Colombo in October 2014. Kavin truly believes anyone can run, and he spends a lot of his time encouraging budding runners to prove exactly this.

Kavin is currently associated with Reebok Running Squad, specialising in running training. He is a regular fixture at various running events as an invitee/ guest speaker and goes the extra mile to motivate people to move towards a healthy lifestyle through running.

#2 Sunil and Sangeetha Shetty

Sunil and Sangeeta Shetty — The marathon couple of India

If there is a tale that you can seek inspiration from, it is one of Sunil and Sangeetha Shetty. The couple became the first from India to run a distance of 100 km in 2013 and entered the Limca Book of Records a year later for becoming the first couple to run for 24 hours.

For all their achievements, in 2013, the Limca Book of Records felicitated them with the ‘Best Running Couple’ award and Sunil was also given the award for the ‘Most Inspirational’ runner in 2014. The couple is presently ambassadors for the BNP Endurathon and the Atul Run. They continue to inspire runners, especially, couples, with their story and keep beating one record after another.

#3 Suvro Joarder

Suvro Joarder aspired to be a cricketer and looked on course as well having scored 535 runs and picking up 22 scalps in eight Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) elite matches. But in 2008, an untimely bike accident took away his right leg, thereby changing not just the course of his cricketing career, but also his life.

After undergoing several surgeries for six months, the doctors informed him that he had to use a crutch for the remainder of his life. Not the one to give up, Suvro took various options to get his life back on track. After some years of struggle he came across Endolite Online, a company willing to help him.

He tried to grasp the nuances of prosthetic legs and then steadily started walking with the blade. Once he got used to it, Joarder decided to give cricket yet another go and started to get involved once again.

In 2011, he received a shot-in-the-arm when he was picked by the All India Association of the Physically Challenged (AIPC) after a string of impressive performances in the local leagues in Kolkata.

In 2015, Suvro realised his dream when he played his first international match for India against Bangladesh in a series that saw him score two fifties. After having endured a torrid phase earlier on Suvro is now gearing up for the IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon and one can be sure that he would put his best foot forward there as well.

#4 Richa Sinha

Richa Sinha might not be a household name within the Indian running fraternity, but the youngest participant in this year’s IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon is making all the right noises.

Aged just 16, she took to running when she was in class seven. She said, “I used to play hockey, and used to run a lot then. In fact, I was the one who used to run the most. It was then that I decided that I would take up running, instead of pursuing hockey.”

Last year, she successfully completed the Siliguri 8 km run, finishing fourth. Her marquee performance came at the 2015 Lucknow half-marathon, where she finished second. This particular result validated her decision to shift to running from hockey.

She added, “I run 70 km a day to practice for these events, slowly over time I plan to transition to full distance marathon running soon.” Born in Kathiyal, Bihar, Richa’s growth trajectory embodies the IDBI Federal Life Insurance Marathon 2016 spirit.

#5 Apurba Das

Apurba Das, a senior section employee with the Central Railway, took up marathon running after a tryst with a doctor. He had a dizzy spell and a doctor advised him to start walking to keep his blood-sugar level in check.

Apurba tried walking but found it extremely mundane. He then started running laps around the Parel ground. Even this was not enough for Apurba and he headed onto the streets to do long distance running.

Das has a long record of taking part in marathon events, even if he didn't exactly know how to cover such large distance. He registered for the Greenathon in 2010, "I registered without knowing how to run the distance. We had to run 60 km. Once I finished, I was told we would have another 40 km the next morning. After a night's rest, I felt good and finished the 40 km."

Das will also be a part of this year's IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Marathon and is expected to put up yet another exemplary marathon performance.

#6 Karthik Raman

For Karthik Raman, Chief Distribution Officer - West & CMO, IDBI Federal Life Insurance, reading a casual article on a flight turned into a life-changing experience. The article advised readers to stand straight and look down to check if they could see their toes. It emphasised that ones who could not see their toes in the defined posture should know that their health is in trouble.

The first thing Karthik did when he got off the flight was to see if he could see his toes. His toes were hiding beneath a big bulging belly, this was the warning bell for Karthik.

Karthik started with a casual run-walk-run regime inside his residential colony and went on from celebrating smaller milestones to participating for amateur races, on to ultra runs.

An important landmark in the journey was when his company accepted his nomination for the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon for half marathon. With consistent training, a systematic diet routine and guidance from senior runners, he keeps stepping up the game every day.

Today Karthik is 10 kg lighter, and a whole lot fitter. So far, he has participated in over 10 half marathons, 5 full marathons and 3 ultra marathons. His most challenging run was the ‘Run the Rann desert trail marathon’, where he lost course in the treacherous desert and ended up completing 58 km instead of 42 km.

To this Karthik says, “The thrill of running in wilderness, all alone fighting your own battle, fighting your physical, mental exhaustion and pushing ahead till you do not attain the objective - nothing comes anywhere close to this euphoria of success.” In November 2015, Karthik completed his first 100 km Ultra Marathon in Bangalore.