Bhubaneswar: Tata Steel Meramandali (TSM), in collaboration with the District Administration of Dhenkanal, has announced the 2nd 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 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, 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.’’
