World’s highest snow marathon held in Himachal’s Lahaul-Spiti, women athletes among 247 take part

Sunil Chadha
In the tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, the snow marathon was held at the North Portal of the Atal Tunnel, located at an altitude of about 10,000 feet in Sissu.

This event marked the fourth edition of the World’s Highest Snow Marathon, a unique race that is also the only snow marathon in Asia.

In this year’s edition, the majority of the titles were claimed by personnel from defence forces.
Naik Het Ram from the Army’s Dogra Scout Regiment clinched the marathon title with an impressive time of 4 hours and 15 minutes for the 42-km snow marathon.

Tamchor from the Ladakh Scouts secured the second position, while OP Saran from the Indian Air Force finished third.

Tenzin Dolma again wins in women’s category

In the women’s category, the defending champion, Tenzin Dolma, triumphed once again, completing the race in 4 hours and 46 minutes.

In the men’s 21-km half marathon, Nandan took first place, followed by Namgyal in second and Ravikant in third. In the women’s half marathon, Natasha Mehr emerged as the champion.

In the 10-km race, Smejin claimed first place, Rohit came second and Saurabh finished third. In the women’s category, Nidhi Jha took the top spot.

Special races organised for tourists, children

The 5-km race saw Vimal as the winner, while Priyanka topped the women’s category. To further engage tourists, children and locals, a 1-km race was also organised, sparking a greater interest in the snow marathon.

A total of 247 participants, including professional runners and fitness enthusiasts from across India, joined the event.

The defence forces, including the Army, Indian Air Force, ITBP, SSB, and the BRO, had a strong presence.
International athlete and DIG of SSB, Mukesh Kumar, participated alongside nine of his soldiers. The presence of a medical team from Fortis Hospital-Mohali ensured safety throughout the event.

Rajeev Kumar, CEO of Reach India and organiser of the event, along with the founder of the snow marathon, Gaurav Shimer, shared their vision for the future.

“After the tremendous success of the previous four editions, we have plans to create an excellent platform for the running community in the Lahaul-Spiti circuit. On June 6, we will organise an ultra run, followed by a full marathon on June 8.

In September, the Spiti Marathon will be organised under the Army’s Sadbhavna Project, inviting runners from across the country. These events aim to raise awareness about Himalayan conservation while promoting tourism and adventure activities in Lahaul-Spiti,” said Kumar and Shimer.

Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar honoured the winners and participants with awards, marking the success of the event that celebrated both athletic achievement and the breathtaking beauty of the region.