To be organised in partnership with Dhenkanal District Administration in
periphery of Kapilash Wildlife Sanctuary on January 11, 2025 ~
~ Aims to create awareness on biodiversity and protection of wildlife, particularly
elephants ~
~ 30 awards worth Rs 9.64 lakh proposed for winners; 4,000 running enthusiasts to
participate ~
~ The half marathon route has been certified by the Association of International
Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), a global organization
Dhenkanal, November 12, 2024; Tata Steel Meramandali (TSM), in collaboration with
the District Administration of Dhenkanal, has announced the 2
nd Edition of the Tata Steel
Kapilash Half Marathon (formerly the Tata Steel Meramandali Half Maratahon).
Scheduled for January 11, 2025, the run will be held against the stunning backdrop of the
Kapilash Wildlife Sanctuary’s buffer zone.
At a press conference held today in Dhenkanal, the official T-shirt for Tata Steel Kapilash
Half Marathon 2025 was unveiled by Somesh Kumar Upadhyay, IAS, Collector and
District Magistrate of Dhenkanal. Also present at the event were Suryamani Pradhan,
Additional Superintendent of Police, Dhenkanal, Satyanarayana Sahoo, Assistant
Conservator of Forest, Bibudha Garanaik, Sub-Collector, Dhenkanal Sadar, Mohit Das,
Chief, Corporate Services, Tata Steel Meramandali, Mukul Vinayak Choudhari, Chief,
Sports, Tata Steel, and Gopabandhu Dash, ED of MGM Minerals Ltd.
This half marathon not only fosters competition but also promotes biodiversity
conservation, particularly the elephant, in the ecologically rich Kapilash region with the
aim to position it as a global hub for tourism and professional running. The event
encourages healthy lifestyles, fitness, and a strong sporting spirit, especially among
youth. It includes three races: a 21 km and 10 km for participants aged 19 and above,
and a 5 km run for boys and girls aged 14 to 19.
Announcing the opening of registration of the half marathon, Somesh Kumar Upadhyay,
IAS, Collector and District Magistrate of Dhenkanal said, ‘‘The run will be held in the
picturesque backdrop of Kapilash Sanctuary of Dhenkanal, which is a very famous place
in the state. We hope this will be one of the coveted half marathons of the country. District
Administration will provide all the support to make the run a grand success.’’
Briefing about the significance and key features of the half marathon, Mukul Vinayak
Choudhary, Chief Sports, Tata Steel, said, “this half marathon route has been certified
by Association of International Marathons and Distance Races,( AIMS), a global
organisation headquartered in Monaco, representing marathon and distance running
races worldwide.” To encourage the runners, a sum of Rs 9.64 lakh prize money to be
given to the top 30 winners of the race categorises i.e 21km, 10km and 5 km., he added.
Registrations for the race are now open, and participants can secure their spot through
the official website, www.tatasteelkapilashhalfmarathon.com, until December 15, 2024.
With limited slots for 4,000 participants, enrolment is on a first-come, first-served basis.
The registration fees is Rs 400 for the 21 km run, Rs 300 for the 10 km run, and Rs 150
for the 5 km run. Each participant will receive a goodie bag that includes a T-shirt, bib
chip, and refreshments at the venue.
The Tata Steel Kapilash Half Marathon 2025 offers a total cash prize of Rs 9.64 lakh,
along with trophies for 30 participants. The top prize of Rs 1 lakh will be awarded to
winners in both the Men’s and Women’s categories for the 21 km run.
To meet international standards, the event will feature advanced technology, including
timing mats, RFID chips, split timing mats along the route, tracking cameras, and Wi-Fi
networks. National-level agencies with expertise in organising similar events will oversee
these enhancements.
In the spirit of collective well-being, Tata Steel has also collaborated with MGM Minerals Ltd, Tata 1mg, Tata Steel Technical Service Limited, Tata Steel Support Service Limihalf
Tata Steel Utility and Infrastructure Services Ltd, and Tata Pigments for the half Marathon
