Kashmir Marathon 2026: L-G Sinha urges talent support, healthy living push
Synopsis
At the Kashmir Marathon 2026 award ceremony, L-G Manoj Sinha handed out 68 medals and issued a pointed call to the Tourism Department and J&K Sports Council to assign trainers and mentors to local winners — framing this year's race not as a celebration endpoint, but as a launchpad for J&K athletes targeting national and international podiums.
Key Takeaways
68 medals were awarded at the Kashmir Marathon 2026 ceremony in Srinagar on 25 October 2026 — 34 each in Full and Half Marathon categories.
L-G Manoj Sinha called on the Tourism Department , J&K Sports Council , and private institutions to provide trainers and mentorship to local medal winners.
A dedicated category for J&K residents was included in the marathon, which Sinha praised as a platform for talent from remote areas.
Sinha credited J&K Police and security forces for enabling a conducive environment over the past six years to host international events.
The Lieutenant Governor highlighted the event's role in promoting fitness and combating lifestyle diseases, pointing to participation by runners above the age of 50 .
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday, 25 October 2026, addressed the award ceremony of the Kashmir Marathon in Srinagar, congratulating winners and calling on government bodies and private institutions to invest in nurturing local athletic talent. A total of 68 medals were awarded — 34 each across the Full Marathon and Half Marathon categories.
Key Highlights from the Ceremony
Lieutenant Governor Sinha noted that every medal represented dedication, perseverance, and the pursuit of a dream. He emphasised that the spirit of a marathon extends beyond its winners — those who complete the course after hours of sustained effort, he said, overcome equally challenging personal battles and deserve equal recognition for their determination.
He particularly applauded the inclusion of a dedicated category for residents of Jammu and Kashmir, saying the event has given young people from the far-flung areas of the union territory a platform to discover and showcase their potential.
Call to Sports Bodies and Private Institutions
Sinha made a direct appeal to the Tourism Department, the Jammu Kashmir Sports Council, and private institutions to assign trainers to today's local winners, mentor them, and guide their transition from the regional event to national and international tournaments.
'I want the medal won by local youth at today's Kashmir Marathon to mark the beginning of a new journey,' he said. He expressed confidence that future marathon champions would emerge from Jammu and Kashmir given the right support structure.
International Standing and Tourism Dividend
The Lieutenant Governor highlighted the growing global stature of the event, noting that the Kashmir Marathon has earned recognition on the international running circuit and helped position Srinagar among cities hosting prestigious long-distance races. He observed that participants from across India and abroad serve as ambassadors for Jammu and Kashmir, carrying back memories of its hospitality and natural beauty — a significant soft-power dividend for a region rebuilding its tourism identity.
Fitness, Healthy Living and the Larger Message
Sinha underscored the role of mass-participation events in combating lifestyle diseases and inspiring healthier habits across communities. He pointed to the visible participation of senior runners above the age of 50 as a potential inspiration for lakhs of people to at least incorporate a daily walk into their routines.
'Marathons inspire people to make a new beginning towards a healthy life,' he said, adding that sustained effort, discipline, and resilience — values forged on the race course — translate directly into societal progress.
Security Forces and the Enabling Environment
The Lieutenant Governor also commended the Jammu and Kashmir Police and security forces for fostering a conducive atmosphere over the past six years, which he credited as a key enabler for hosting international-level events in the union territory.
Senior officials present at the felicitation ceremony included Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Tourism Secretary Avny Lavasa, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg, IGP Kashmir Sujit Kumar, SSP Srinagar Dr G.V. Sundeep Chakravarthy, and Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Akshay Labroo, alongside prominent citizens, sportspersons, and a large turnout of youth.
With the event now registering an international footprint, the attention shifts to whether the institutional commitments made by the Lieutenant Governor — trainer deployment, mentorship pipelines, and sustained funding — will translate into measurable outcomes for J&K's next generation of distance runners.
Point of View
In J&K's sporting history, have rarely materialised into sustained institutional pipelines. The Kashmir Marathon's international footprint is real and growing, but converting a regional race into a talent nursery requires multi-year funding commitments, not ceremonial encouragements. The explicit naming of the Tourism Department and the Sports Council is notable — it creates a degree of accountability that vague 'support' rhetoric usually lacks. Whether that accountability is followed through will determine if J&K's marathon moment produces champions or merely better spectacles.
NationPress
25 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Kashmir Marathon 2026 award ceremony?
J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha presided over the award ceremony of the Kashmir Marathon in Srinagar on 25 October 2026, where a total of 68 medals were distributed — 34 each in the Full Marathon and Half Marathon categories. He congratulated winners and called on government bodies to support local talent.
What did L-G Sinha say about nurturing local talent from J&K?
Sinha urged the Tourism Department, the J&K Sports Council, and private institutions to assign trained coaches to local medal winners and mentor them towards national and international competitions. He said he wants the medals won at this year's event to mark the beginning of a new athletic journey for J&K youth.
Why is the Kashmir Marathon significant for J&K's image?
According to L-G Sinha, the Kashmir Marathon has earned recognition on the global running circuit and helped position Srinagar among cities hosting prestigious long-distance races. Participants from India and abroad act as ambassadors for J&K, taking back impressions of its hospitality and natural beauty.
How does the Kashmir Marathon promote public health?
Sinha highlighted the event's role in inspiring fitness habits and raising public awareness about lifestyle diseases. He specifically pointed to senior runners above the age of 50 as a potential motivation for lakhs of people to adopt even basic habits like a daily walk.
Who attended the Kashmir Marathon 2026 felicitation ceremony?
The ceremony was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Tourism Secretary Avny Lavasa, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg, IGP Kashmir Sujit Kumar, SSP Srinagar Dr G.V. Sundeep Chakravarthy, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Akshay Labroo, and a large gathering of sportspersons, senior officials, and youth.
