Jigmet Namgyal and Tenzin Dolma win the 77 KM Ultra in the Inaugural Edition of Spiti Marathon, organized by the Indian Army.  

Kaza/Kullu, Jigmet Namgyal emerged as the champion of the 77 KM Spiti Avengers Challenge, finishing with a time of 05:57:46 in the inaugural edition of the Spiti Marathon. Anshul Thapa claimed second place at 06:46:03, followed by Rajiv Singh in third, who completed the course from Kaza to Samdo in 06:51:19. In the women’s category, Tenzin Dolma secured first place with a time of 08:15:42. Stanzin Chandoll finished second at 08:30:10, and Nambial Chambo took third at 09:57:15. In the 40+ age group, Captain Suresh completed the challenge in 07:46:00.

The 42 KM full marathon title went to Het Ram, who finished in 03:03:09, followed by Kulbir Singh in second (03:16:36) and Phunchok Namgyal in third (03:24:21). Disket Dolma won the women’s full marathon with a time of 03:55:56. Neelima Devi came second at 05:20:22, and Sonam Wangmu took third with 05:42:57.

In the half marathon of the men’s category, Testan Namgyal got first place with the timing of 01:20:05 followed by Tsewang Nangdan (01:21:20) who stood second.  Manjeet Singh (01:24:02) consoled at third place. In the women’s category, Tashi Ladol ( 01:37:36) claimed the title while Stanzim Dolkar (01:39:51) placed second while Gargi Sharma (02:06:23) got the third prize. Shyam Singh (men) and Rakhee Rai (women) were the winners in the veteran category.

 In the 10 kms race, Sonam Stanzin, Manoj Yadav and Manjeet Yadav topped the chart in men’s while Sonam Zangpo, Tenzin Kasang and Tinu Rajaram were in the top three for the women’s category. The 23-member team of Indofil, a crop solution organization working in the Himalayan region, was specially honored for their enthusiastic participation.
The Indian Army, in partnership with the Snow Marathon Team, organized this two-day Spiti Marathon event across several categories for the first time in Spiti Valley. Runners from all over India, including members of the Army, participated in this high-altitude challenge. Among them was a team of 23 runners from Indofil, a prominent crop care brand with a strong presence in the Himalayan region.

During the awards ceremony at Sumdo, Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, UYSM AVSM YSM, Central Command Area Commander, highlighted the significance of the event,  “It’s a commendable achievement for the organizers to host nearly 650 athletes across the country, that too, in this remote part of the world. I urge you all to be the ambassadors for the Indian Army and Spiti Valley so that at least we can have more than 2000 participants in the next edition.”

Gaurav Schimar from the Snow Marathon Team remarked on this historic occasion, “The Spiti Marathon is a gift from the Indian Army to nature and mountain loving running community and a tribute to the land and its inhabitants.” He added, “The Spiti Marathon has now entered the region amidst the world’s top high-altitude long-distance running circuits.”

The all participants were awarded with medals and certificates. This marathon was held under Operation Sadbhavana, an initiative of the Indian Army, which aligned with the Indian government’s Vibrant Village Program. The event aimed to foster local engagement, promote sustainable development, and highlight the cultural richness of Spiti Valley, including notable places like Giyu, Kaza, and Tabo. In addition, it is expected to boost tourism and create livelihood opportunities for the local population. The event received robust support from local authorities, and organizers plan to make it an annual tradition following the overwhelming response to this inaugural edition.