A historic milestone in Kolkata’s athletic environment, the 10th edition of the JBG Kolkata Marathon, organized by Sportiz and presented by Jai Balaji Group, erupted before dawn with exhilarating intensity. This year’s event, widely known as “A Decade of Dreams”, honored ten years of perseverance, ambition, and the city’s developing passion for running, solidifying its status as one of Eastern India’s most recognizable mass-participation athletic events.

Over 10,000 runners flocked to the streets, transforming Red Road, Maidan, and the surrounding areas into a vibrant sea of color, emotion, and purpose—a testament to Kolkata’s unwavering spirit. The city came out in full force, demonstrating once more that Kolkata does more than host a marathon—it lives it—from novice runners to top athletes.

To ensure accessibility and participation across a variety of age groups and abilities, this year’s event included a number of categories, such as the 21.1 Km Half Marathon, 10 Km Run, 5 Km Cosplay Run, and the inspirational 3 Km Special Heroes Run for para-athletes. The official theme tune for the marathon, CholoDourai, a fast-paced rock song dedicated to Kolkata’s pulse, also made its premiere in 2025. The song became the anthem of every runner who ventured, dreamed, and ran because its words reflected the city’s spirit of resiliency, passion, and movement, and its cadence mirrored the rhythm of thousands of footsteps.

Fitness legends Milind Soman and Ankita Konwar ceremoniously kicked off the event, while actress and endurance athlete Saiyami Kher also took part in the 21.1-kilometer half-marathon. Mr. Manoj Kumar Verma, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, participated in the 10-kilometer race, adding to the inspiration factor and representing the idea of a healthier and livelier city. The event was further enhanced by the presence of legendary athletes, such as Olympian archer Dola Banerjee and renowned football player Mehtab Hossain, who lifted the runners’ spirits.

Both the men’s and women’s elite categories had outstanding results at the Half Marathon. With a remarkable time of 1:03:30, Prince Raj Yadav of Uttar Pradesh won first place in the Elite Men’s division. Panchanan Bera of West Bengal came in second at 1:03:38, and Sunil Kumar of Rajasthan came in third at 1:03:42. Tamsi Singh of Uttar Pradesh won first place in the Elite Women’s category with a time of 1:18:57. Jharkhand’s Basanti Kumari and New Delhi’s Ekta finished second and third, respectively, with times of 1:21:08 and 1:21:15, demonstrating their strong and reliable performances.

Celebrations, runner felicitations, and fresh optimism for the future of distance running in the city marked the conclusion of the 10th JBG Kolkata Marathon.

Priyanka Dutta