Sprinting over many a hurdle

Neha Kirpal

Sixteen-year-old Avdesh Nagar had been taking his running seriously for some time, but his big break was yet to come. Today, the sprinter doesn’t just boast of 25 medals in various competitions, he is also preparing for 2020 Olympics to be held in Kenya. So, what changed in-between? Well, he ran a marathon along with thousands of other kids and stood a winner in the end. He says the marathon gave him an opportunity to showcase his capabilities, fight for survival and thrive in everyday life. That was the idea behind starting Salwan Marathon, perhaps the oldest marathon for schoolchildren in India. It was started 20 years ago with the intent of introducing youngsters to running and keeping them away from technology.

A World School Champion, Avdesh participated in the marathon two years ago and emerged winner in the under-14 category.

The marathon started in 1995, long before marathons became popular, as a way to promote running among schoolchildren. The first run saw participation from just 300 students running around the streets of Rajinder Nagar and Ridge Road. The entire thing was put together within a humble budget of Rs 2,500. The idea was to get students outside their classrooms and inspire them to run. The man who conceptualised the marathon was Inder Dutt Salwan, a trustee of Salwan Education Trust and a passionate runner himself. He was once invited for a science exhibition at Salwan Public School in Delhi. Straightening the tie of a student, he asked, “Son, which games do you play?” “Sir, video games!” came the reply. This response made Dutt realise that there was something wrong with the system. It got him thinking that the current generation needed to get out of the classroom and discover the power of running.

Those days, there weren’t as many distractions. Today calls for even more participation. Held last Sunday at Brar Square, Delhi Cantonment, the 22nd edition saw participation from over 55,000 students from Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi NCR. The race took a more challenging route with children running through long winding trails and rivulets. More than 6,000 volunteers from the Athletic Federation of India, Delhi State Amateur Athletics Association and physical instructors from across the country ensured the safety and security of each participant at the event.

The marathon has spread far and wide over the years. Recognised by the Athletic Federation of India, it reaches out to 1,200 schools across the country. It has also entered the Limca Book of Records for being the world’s largest racing event for schoolchildren.

“We want children to develop and practice behavioural and intellectuals skills by challenging themselves and each other in games and sports. It's all about the courage to go that extra mile in search for perfection and bring laurels to one’s institution,” says spokesperson for the marathon, Samrata Diwan.

Diwan says most interesting about the marathon is the tough competition between the rural and urban children. “Over the past 16 years or so, students from rural background have had an upper edge,” she says.

To make the race more inclusive, in 2010, special categories were added where around 3,300 visually challenged and differently-abled children were allowed to race guided by volunteers. Integrating special children with mainstream students, it is perhaps the only race for visually impaired in the world. “We strongly believe that sports is all-inclusive and a necessity for all students, with or without intellectual disabilities,” added Samrata.

Further, in 2014, the race also partnered with Sisco Research Laboratories to ensure fair play and clean sports by introducing age verification and dope tests for runners. This is done by using a specially designed GPS-based chip and multiple cameras to track distances covered by each participant in the under-18 boys’ category.