While most of the city was sleeping on Sunday morning, more than 5,000 individuals were running through the streets of Besant Nagar. These Chennaiites were part of the Magnathon Marathon 2025: Run for fitness, community, and a cause at Olcott Memorial High School. The marathon, conducted for the fourth edition by the Rajasthan Cosmo Club (RCC) Magnum Foundation is to spread the message ‘Say no to drugs’ and skill development.
Additionally, “the purpose of this marathon is to raise funds to ignite a life. The club indulges in activities like teaching tailoring and tally courses, grooming beauticians, and today with the money raised we will select 120 people and teach them Python and C++. It is more of upskilling underprivileged people,” explains Ramesh Kumar Surana, secretary of RCC Magnum. All the proceeds from this marathon will be going towards the skill development of the youth and women, aiming to create a lasting impact.
The president of the club, Pradeep Kumar Sethia, adds that the club actively ties up with 35 specialised training institutions — small, big, located in rural and urban areas — and selects individuals to learn new skills. “The selected citizens are screened on a list of parameters that includes income. Thereafter, we upskill them to improve their standard of living.” He believes that today anybody can make a living, but improving one’s standard of living is what the club is focussing on. “Our objective is if I give him a meal, he will have it once. If you teach him to earn a living, he will stand on his feet for a lifetime,” points out Pradeep.
Race with a purpose
Magnathon 2025 welcomed runners of all ages, offering four race categories: a challenging 21.1 km half marathon, a competitive 10km run, an engaging 5km and 1.5km parent-child run. Each category reflected a collective commitment towards fitness, social responsibility, and personal transformation.
One of the participants, Nikhil Dehalani, an Air Force officer shares, “One might be familiar with what is happening with the young adults in case of their heart health. The silent heart attack is on the rise. So running brings enormous benefits to health in terms of your heart and overall body as you feel motivated and hopefully they will stay away from drugs, as all their attention is diverted to running and chasing victory.”
There were many inspiring tales of dedication and determination throughout the race. Every participant, from experienced sportsmen to newbie runners, has a story to share. Darsha M, DG Vaishnav College student says, “Everyone has a purpose to fulfil when born. For me, it is to be here to make others able. I am happy to be a part of this initiative.”
The other invitees and participants to the event include the commissioner of police, Avadi, K Shankar, Nandha Kumar, IRS (Commissioner of Income Tax), DG Vaishnav college secretary, Ashok Mundra, Kothari Industrial Corporation Ltd MD, Rafiq Ahmed; and Vimesh Nair, vice president, marketing, Casa Grande. The marathon was officially flagged off by Papusa Rahul Luniya, sparking excitement and determination among the participants. This marathon motivates change as the city hosts more life-changing events.