Over 4,600 Fitness Enthusiasts Run to Protect Wildlife at Tata Steel Kapilash Half Marathon 2025

Over 4,600 Fitness Enthusiasts Run to Protect Wildlife at Tata Steel Kapilash Half Marathon 2025

~ Race held in collaboration with District Administration, Dhenkanal and Odisha Athletic Association to create awareness on biodiversity and wildlife ~

~ Equal prize money for men and women totalling INR 9.64 lakh ~

Shubham Sindhu and Bharti from Haryana emerged as the winners in the men's and women's 21km categories, respectively.

Dhenkanal, January 11, 2025: Tata Steel, in association with the District Administration Dhenkanal and Odisha Athletic Association, hosted the 2nd Edition of the Tata Steel Kapilash Half Marathon 2025 on Saturday, January 11, at Kapilash, Dhenkanal. The event took place at the periphery of the Kapilash Wildlife Sanctuary under the theme - “Run to Protect Wildlife”. Over 4600 runners from all over the country participated this time.

The event was flagged-off by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Union Minister of Education, Government of India. Thanking the district administration and Tata Steel for organizing this half-marathon, he called on everyone to be aware of the protection of elephants and other wild animals.  The Honorable Minister emphasized how the wealth and life of the local area can be protected by securing Gajraj (referencing elephant security). He hoped this event would grow, attracting more people from far and wide.

Other dignitaries present were Shri Krushna Chandra Patra, Hon’ble Minister of Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare and Science & Technology Departments, Government of Odisha, Shri Suryabanshi Suraj, Hon’ble Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, Higher Education, Odisha Literature and Culture, Government of Odisha, Shri Sampad Chandra Swain, Hon’ble Minister Industries, Skill Development and Technical Education in Government of Odisha, Shri Rudra Narayan Pany, Hon’ble MP, Dhenkanal, Shri Bibhuti Bhusan Pradhan, Hon’ble MLA, Parjang, Smt Simarani Nayak, Hon’ble MLA, Hindol, Shri Satrughan Jena, Hon’ble MLA, Kamakyanagar, and Pratap Chandra Pradhan, Hon’ble MLA, Angul

Somesh Kumar Upadhyay, IAS, Collector & DM, Dhenkanal, Abhinav Sonkar, Superintendent of Police, Dhenkanal, Sumit Kar, Divisional Forest Officer, Dhenkanal, D B Sundara Ramam, Vice President – Raw Materials, Tata Steel, Uttam Singh, Vice President – Operations, Tata Steel Meramandali, and Sandeep Dhir, CEO, Tata Steel Technical Services Limited were also present.

”My congratulations to the winners of this year's Tata Steel Kapilash Half Marathon," said D.B. Sundara Ramam, Vice President – Raw Materials, Tata Steel. "This initiative has grown each year, attracting diverse participants from across the country. Beyond promoting physical fitness, the half-marathon highlights our commitment to sustainable practices by raising awareness of biodiversity conservation and wildlife. This event has been bringing international-standard sporting event to this region to promote local talent.”

Shubham Sindhu from Haryana emerged as the winner in the 21km men's category, while Bharti from Haryana claimed victory in the women’s 21 Km race.

“The Kapilash Half Marathon embodies Tata Steel's commitment to fostering health, fitness, and community spirit,” said Uttam Singh, Vice President – Operations, Tata Steel Meramandali “As stewards of sustainable development, we believe such initiatives strengthen the bond between industry and society, promoting wellness while celebrating the spirit of determination. Together, we stride towards a healthier and fitter future,” he added.

To meet international standards, the event integrated cutting-edge technology, including timing mats, radio frequency chips, split timing mats, tracking cameras, and Wi-Fi networks. The route was certified by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), a global organisation representing marathon and distance running races worldwide. National-level agencies with expertise in organising similar runs across the country oversaw these enhancements.

Other industry bodies of the region – including MGM Minerals, NAVA Ltd, Indian Potash, Khemka Refractories, INOX Air Products, Tata 1mg, Tata Steel Technical Services Limited, Tata Steel Support Services Limited, Tata Steel Utility and Infrastructure Services Ltd, and Tata Pigments – have partnered the half marathon.

Winners List:

21Kms

Event	Category	Categ Pos	Name	Gender	city	Net Time	Prize Money
Half Marathon	Female	1	Bharti .	Female	Haryana	01:14:37	1,00,000
Half Marathon	Female	2	Phoolan Pal	Female	Bhopal	01:18:00	71,000
Half Marathon	Female	3	Shyamali Singh	Female		01:25:44	41,000
Half Marathon	Female	4	Sandhya Murmu	Female	Khurda	01:29:54	31,000
Half Marathon	Female	5	Mamina Murmu	Female	Khurda	01:35:08	21,000

Event	Category	Categ Pos	Name	Gender	city	Net Time	Prize Money
Half Marathon	Male	1	Shubham Sindhu	Male	Haryana	01:04:49	1,00,000
Half Marathon	Male	2	Upendra Pal	Male	Bhopal	01:09:15	71,000
Half Marathon	Male	3	Sarat Kumar Dora	Male	Khurda	01:24:54	41,000
Half Marathon	Male	4	Shiba Singh	Male	Baripada	01:25:35	31,000
Half Marathon	Male	5	Alok Kumar Sahu	Male	Khurda	01:29:32	21,000

10 Kms

Event	Category	Categ Pos	Name	Gender	city	Net Time	Prize Money
10K Run	Male	1	Ajay Kumar Bind	Male	Up	00:30:06	61,000
10K Run	Male	2	Ashok Dandasena	Male	Angul	00:31:05	41,000
10K Run	Male	3	Rahulkumar Rajbhar	Male	Vanranasi	00:31:30	31,000
10K Run	Male	4	Aneesh Chandel	Male	Bilaspur	00:32:36	21,000
10K Run	Male	5	Pintu Kumar	Male	Gorakhpur	00:32:52	11,000
Event	Category	Categ Pos	Name	Gender	city	Net Time	Prize Money
10K Run	Female	1	Susmita Tigga	Female		00:38:10	61,000
10K Run	Female	2	Sunita .	Female		00:38:32	41,000
10K Run	Female	3	Danmati Sabar	Female	Khurda	00:40:01	31,000
10K Run	Female	4	Swarnalata Sharma	Female	Khurda	00:43:08	21,000
10K Run	Female	5	Panchami Mallick	Female	Khurda	00:46:22	11,000

5 Kms

Event	Category	Categ Pos	Name	Gender	city	Net Time	Prize Money
5K Run	Male	1	Dolamani Chirgun	Male		00:14:52	15,000
5K Run	Male	2	Subham Behera	Male	Khurda	00:14:59	10,000
5K Run	Male	3	Baghrai Murmu	Male	Khurda	00:15:10	8,000
5K Run	Male	4	Unit Sabar	Male	Khurda	00:15:17	6,000
5K Run	Male	5	Priyanshu Parida	Male	Dhenkanal	00:15:15	5,000
Event	Category	Categ Pos	Name	Gender	city	Net Time	Prize Money
5K Run	Female	1	Sagarika Naik	Female	Khurda	00:17:39	15,000
5K Run	Female	2	Purnima Sandil	Female	Sundargarh	00:18:37	10,000
5K Run	Female	3	Namshi Samad	Female	Khurda	00:19:11	8,000
5K Run	Female	4	Mehek Begum	Female	Cuttack	00:20:08	6,000
5K Run	Female	5	Subhalaxmi Nath Sharma	Female	Khurda	00:20:23	5,000

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