Srinagar: The second edition of Kashmir Marathon was flagged off by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah here on Sunday as 1500 athletes from abroad and various parts of the country took part in the event.
Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty was also present at the flagging off event while Abdullah ran a half marathon like he did last year.
“Just completed the Kashmir Half Marathon. I didn’t set a personal best but I did improve on my effort last year. Congratulations to all the runners who completed the full marathon & the half marathon. Well done,” Abdullah posted on his personal X handle.
The chief minister also posted a message from his official handle.
“With thousands of enthusiastic runners gathered in Srinagar, the Chief Minister flagged off the Kashmir Marathon-2025 this morning, celebrating fitness, resilience and unstoppable spirit of Jammu & Kashmir!” he said.
Talking to reporters, Shetty said things have started to come back towards normalcy in Kashmir after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
“I am hopeful that we will have a vibrant and exciting winter tourism,” the ‘Hera Pheri’ star said.
He said Bollywood was also returning to Kashmir in a big way as some film projects were already shooting in the valley while some were in the pipeline.
Asked if the Kashmir Marathon would boost tourism in the valley, Shetty said more than 100 foreign athletes and nearly 1400 from across the country taking part was evidence that the event is drawing people.
“You also have cricket matches going on here in which international players like Chris Gayle are taking part. We are back,” he said.
Several politicians including Nasir Aslam Wani, advisor to the chief minister, and MLA Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq participated in the event.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, V K Birdi was also among those who took part.
Sharing details of the marathon, an official press release informed that this year’s edition saw over 1,100 runners from 27 States and Union Territories of India, along with 77 foreign participants from 11 countries, underscoring Kashmir’s emergence as a premier destination for sports and adventure tourism.
The race began at 6:00 AM from Poloview, with runners traversing the scenic Boulevard Road along the banks of the Dal Lake. The marathon was organised by the Department of Tourism, Kashmir, featuring multiple categories including the Full Marathon (42 km), Half Marathon (21 km), and shorter runs for amateurs and local participants.
It may be recalled that during the first edition of the Kashmir Marathon held on October 20 last year, the Chief Minister had also flagged off and completed the half marathon event.
Expressing gratitude, Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports Satish Sharma said: “This marathon spreads the message of peace, love, prosperity, and brotherhood. Participants, including runners from different countries, are part of this celebration of unity and endurance. I thank Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, actor Sunil Shetty, and everyone who contributed to making this event a success.”
