Mumbai: The 19 edition of Asia’s one of the prestigious Marathon events, the Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) has witnessed an achievement, as 267 NGOs collectively raised a record-breaking Rs 58 crores, reaffirming its status as India's largest sporting platform for philanthropy. The success of this endeavour is attributed to the collaborative efforts with United Way Mumbai (UWM), the event's esteemed Philanthropy Partner.
In its role as the Philanthropy Partner, UWM has played a pivotal role in building capacities of partnering non-profits to raise funds and awareness for their projects. UWM ensures a transparent, cause-neutral, level-playing field by providing a robust digital platform. UWM maximizes the fundraising opportunities of the limited running spots available at TMM and distributes them equitably between the NGOs.
The evolution of philanthropy at TMM is remarkable, progressing from a cumulative total of Rs 43 Lacs by 12 NGOs in the inaugural edition, to surpassing Rs 400 crores today, benefiting over 750 NGOs.
United Way Mumbai CEO George Aikara said, “I would like to congratulate all the participating NGOs for the remarkable philanthropic success of the Tata Mumbai Marathon. We have been the Philanthropy Partner of the TMM since 2009 and have witnessed the marathon's evolution into a strong catalyst of social impact. The participation of 12,000 individuals this year and a record-breaking fundraising effort, highlights the marathon's unique ability to engage and inspire. The funds and awareness raised through TMM will allow our NGO partners to lend a helping hand and make a lasting impact.”
Central Chinmaya Mission Trust CEO Manisha Khemlani said, “The secret sauce of my success is my family, my team. My mission is my family and being the CEO of the organisation, I am fortunate enough to be participating in raising funds for the marathon. We work to raise funds for education, starving children and more. Swami Chinmaya Ji, the founder believes that a child spends a lot of time in school and the values that are given in school are very important. We have a four pillar system, we look at the physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual personality of the child. Interestingly, about 45 per cent of our 82 schools are either in remote areas or in these two tier cities. Thanks to the support of the Tata Mumbai marathon and Procam who help us reach out to over 600 children with scholarships solely because of the awareness and the opportunity to raise funds. I'm very grateful to Procam International, United Way of Mumbai for giving us this opportunity to combine fitness and fundraising.”
Speaking on the occasion, Cuddles Foundation Nayi Disha Resource Centre, Family Planning Association India, Mira Joshi said, When I was younger I saw my dad raising funds every single year. He used to tell me how he helped different people and the things that he had done. When I turn 12, I could qualify for the dream run. I decided that I too wanted to help people. My father was my inspiration."
Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation Divyanshu Ganatra said, "Tata Mumbai Marathon is one of the best platforms to create awareness, raise funds and reach out to the right people. When we started last year in 2023 we supported 100, and this year, we were able to support 300 children. Now we have reached four states, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Bangalore impacting 1000 people's lives directly. Thank you Tata Mumbai Marathon for giving us an equal platform that allows the world's biggest CEOs and the most invisible minority populations in the world to come together and run."
This edition marks a historic turnout, featuring an unprecedented participation of more than 12,000 individuals actively running to champion diverse causes. Notably, nearly 10,000 of these participants hail from the corporate sector. The Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) has solidified its position as the preferred event for India Inc., leveraging its distinctive capacity to involve employees, generate funds, and contribute significantly to philanthropy through CSR contributions. Remarkably, this segment alone has contributed an impressive sum exceeding Rs 22 crores.
The heartbeat of TMM's philanthropic impact lies in individuals creating awareness and fundraising for diverse causes. This year, 1100 individuals are actively raising funds for civic issues, culture, sports, education, environment, health, human rights, inclusion, and more. Notably, 151 individuals have raised over Rs 1.75 lakh each to become ‘Change Runners’.
Procam International Joint MD Vivek Singh said, ' At Tata Mumbai Marathon, runners have already collected over Rs 58 crores, a feat that has never been achieved before race day. I am honoured to witness the spirit of sportsmanship and the philanthropic heartbeat of every runner who made this possible. TMM stands as a unique sporting platform, the only one of its kind, empowering participants to raise substantial funds, and making each step a stride towards positive change. At TMM, each year, more and more are choosing to run with purpose, with compassion, and together create a lasting positive impact on the world we co-habit." It is truly # HarDilMumbai
The highest individual fundraiser, Manisha Khemlani, has achieved an outstanding feat by raising over Rs 7.6 crores making her the highest Fundraising Individual in the history of the TMM. With Ms Khemlani, the other notable fundraisers include her colleague Darshini Bhatt who raised over Rs 4.1 crores for the Central Chinmaya Mission Trust.
The Mother-daughter duo of Dr. Meera Mehta and Dr. Bijal Mehta have both raised over Rs 1 and Rs 2 crores respectively with Villy Doctor, Shyam Jasani, Sunit Kothari, Utppal Mehta, each raising over Rs 1 crore.
Additionally, Rajkumar Jain and Murlikrishnan must be recognised for raising over Rs 50 lakhs each.Shaurya Banga stands out as the highest Young Leader, below the age of 21, having raised over Rs 50 lakhs.
As part of top-up donations, 3,365 runners chose to contribute beyond the participation fee, accumulating a substantial collection of Rs 23 lakhs to benefit 49 NGOs. This philanthropic gesture not only reflects the benevolence of the running community but also amplifies the impact of the Tata Mumbai Marathon beyond the race track.
This year as part of The Green Bib initiative, TMM and UWM have raised over Rs 27 lakhs to plant through 4,371 trees. The TMM Green Bib is an initiative that allows runners to contribute to the plantation and maintenance of trees in the TMM Agro Forest. The donations have come from over 2,500 runners. This Agri-Horti initiative supports environmental sustainability, and augments farmer income, thru optimum utilisation of their existing acreage. For this pilot edition of the Green Bib, UWM has targeted the Solapur District of Maharashtra.
Tata Mumbai Marathon continues to inspire and catalyze positive change through its unique blend of sports and philanthropy, leaving an enduring impact on society.
