184 Tribal Runners From Bastar to Compete in 15th Hyderabad Marathon

A contingent of about 184 young tribal athletes from the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh is set to compete on the streets of Hyderabad in the 15th NMDC Hyderabad Marathon scheduled for August 30.

The runners have been selected from several remote areas across Chhattisgarh, including Bailadila, Sukma, Dantewada, Bijapur, Bastar, and Jagdalpur. For many in the group, the event marks their first opportunity to participate in a large-scale city marathon.

Several participants initially began their athletic preparation barefoot, running across village roads and navigating the challenging terrain around Kirandul and Bacheli. To facilitate their participation, NMDC stepped in to back the contingent by providing running shoes, professional kits, training, accommodation, and transportation logistics. Structured training sessions for different batches of runners commenced on August 17.

The visiting contingent features six women runners among its ranks. While the majority of the Bastar participants are slated to compete in the 10-kilometre category, a select group of more experienced athletes will take on the 21.1-kilometre half marathon and the 42.2-kilometre full marathon distances.

Organisers expect around 32,000 participants to take part in this edition of the Hyderabad Marathon. The event serves as a major competitive stage for the young athletes from Bastar, some of whom have demonstrated the potential to transition into professional athletics with sustained coaching and long-term exposure.