Srinagar: Indian-Australian endurance athlete Om Satija on Sunday completed his ambitious 5,000-kilometre “One India Run” campaign after reaching Srinagar, marking the end of a 110-day cross-country journey from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.
According to details available with JKNS, the 23-year-old athlete from Melbourne, Australia, completed nearly 4,950 kilometres before concluding the run at Zabarwan Park.
Speaking after completing the run, Om Satija said the primary aim of the campaign was to inspire youth towards fitness, discipline and purposeful living.
“Youth must stay away from drugs and negative activities. Fitness is very important not only for physical health but also for mental strength and confidence,” he said.
He urged young people to dream big and work hard to bring positive change in society.
“This run was not just about endurance, it was about showing that with discipline, consistency and purpose, anything is possible,” he added.
The “One India Run” initiative was launched to promote fitness, resilience, mental strength and social responsibility among youth while also mobilising support for vulnerable communities.
Om averaged nearly 50 kilometres daily during the journey and is aiming to become the first person to run along the east coast of India and the youngest athlete to run the length of the country.
The campaign is also raising funds for Udayan Foundation, which works for children from marginalised and leprosy-affected communities.
Organisers said the initiative aims to raise ₹60 lakh to support the education of nearly 1,000 children over the next five years.
According to organisers, around ₹20 lakh has already been raised through public participation, community events and run club activations organised in cities including Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Delhi and Ludhiana.
