{"id":58044,"date":"2025-09-17T12:51:26","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T07:21:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/17\/jbg-satara-hill-half-marathon-2025-a-rain-soaked-yet-record-breaking-celebration-of-running\/"},"modified":"2025-09-17T12:51:26","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T07:21:26","slug":"jbg-satara-hill-half-marathon-2025-a-rain-soaked-yet-record-breaking-celebration-of-running","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/17\/jbg-satara-hill-half-marathon-2025-a-rain-soaked-yet-record-breaking-celebration-of-running\/","title":{"rendered":"JBG Satara Hill Half Marathon 2025: A Rain-Soaked Yet Record-Breaking Celebration of Running"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Satara (Maharashtra) [India], September 17:<\/strong> Heavy rain could not dampen the spirit of over 8,500 runners who turned up for the 14th edition of the JBG Satara Hill Half Marathon, powered by Mala\u2019s Fruit Products, on Sunday morning. By the time the sun broke through the clouds, Satara had witnessed one of its most memorable race days yet.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Crowds lined the streets, volunteers braved the weather, and runners embraced the challenge of the hills. The event reaffirmed its reputation as one of India\u2019s most iconic runs \u2013 scenic, tough, and deeply rooted in community spirit.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-54586\" src=\"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Half-Marathon-2025.jpg\" alt=\"Half Marathon 2025 PNN\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Charity Beyond the Finish Line<\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">One of the biggest impacts came through the\u00a0Charity initiative, which will now support\u00a02,000 children from more than 8 schools\u00a0in and around Satara. Sports gear ranging from footballs and basketballs to chess and carrom sets has been handed over, bringing structured play and physical activity into classrooms.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Expo Sets the Tone<\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The buzz began two days earlier with the\u00a0JBG SHHM Fitness Expo, presented by the\u00a0Punit Balan Group, which saw\u00a0over 30,000 visitors\u00a0and participation from\u00a050+ brands. Inaugurated by\u00a0Smt. Vedantikaraje Bhonsle (Vahini Saheb), wife of Maharashtra PWD Minister\u00a0Shrimant Ch. Shivendrasinharaje Bhonsle, the Expo brought the running community together even before race day.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Going Live \u2013 A First for India<\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This year also marked a first: the race was\u00a0streamed live by Fancode and Zee24Taas, making JBG SHHM the\u00a0first stand-alone half-marathon in India\u00a0to be covered by a digital live-streaming partner.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The event also set another milestone: it hosted the\u00a0largest ever field of runners in a stand-alone hill half-marathon in India. Already a\u00a0three-time Guinness World Record holder, SHHM once again proved why it is counted among the toughest and most scenic races in the world.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">On the Podium<\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The competition was fierce at the front of the pack.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Men\u2019s Open Category: Ankush Laxman Hakke (01:10:08), Lovepreet Singh (01:11:06), and Dharmender D (01:12:03).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Women\u2019s Open Category: Sakshi Sanjay Jadyal (01:29:35), Rutuja Vijay Patil (01:30:52), and Sonali Dhondiram Desai (01:33:42).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">More than\u00a0600 runners finished under 2 hours, taking home gold medals. All pacers successfully guided their groups despite the sticky humidity left behind by the downpour.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Voices from the Event<\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Founder &amp; Chief Believer\u00a0Dr. Sandeep Kate\u00a0said,\u00a0\u201cThis edition showed us the commitment of the community. The rains could not stop the energy, and the success of the charity initiative gives this event a deeper meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Satara Collector,\u00a0Shri Santosh Patil\u00a0noted,\u00a0\u201cSatara has built its identity as the Rajdhani of Marathon Running. The success of this year\u2019s event further strengthens that position.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Satara SP,\u00a0Shri Tushar Doshi, who himself ran the half marathon, said,\u00a0\u201cThis event has become a fitness movement. Running alongside thousands, including police officers from across Maharashtra, was an honour.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Title Sponsor,\u00a0Mr. Gaurav Jajodia, MD of Jai Balaji Group, shared,\u00a0\u201cTo see 8,500 runners under the JBG banner is a matter of pride. Our partnership with SHHM reflects our belief in community engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Powered By Sponsor,\u00a0Mr. Hussain Mala, Director at Mala\u2019s Fruit Products, said,\u00a0\u201cSupporting JBG SHHM for the second year is a privilege. This event carries the same passion and freshness as our brand.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Mr. Punit Balan, MD, Punit Balan Group &amp; Manikchand Oxyrich added,\u00a0\u201cThe Expo and VIP lounge added to the experience for runners and visitors. It was a pleasure to partner with SHHM once again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Race Director JBGSHHM 2025,\u00a0Dr. Avinash Shinde,\u00a0pointed out,\u00a0\u201cOur focus was on the runner\u2019s experience. The new systems, practice runs, and on-ground arrangements ensured safety and support throughout. Along with safety and medical preparedness, we worked closely with our pacers. Their disciplined effort helped hundreds achieve their targets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">President JBGSHHM 2025,\u00a0Ar. Upendra Pandit\u00a0said,\u00a0\u201cFrom registrations to execution, the 14th edition has been remarkable. It is the people of Satara and our volunteers who make this possible every year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Vice President JBGSHHM 2025,\u00a0Prof. Vishal Dhane\u00a0added,\u00a0\u201cThe response from participants, partners, and the city shows the trust built over the years. We are proud of the scale this event has reached.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Secretary JBGSHHM 2025,\u00a0Mr. Shailesh Dhawalikar\u00a0acknowledged,\u00a0\u201cThe smooth execution is a credit to detailed planning and volunteer effort. The training programmes and long runs prepared runners well for the hills. The participants\u2019 commitment to training was inspiring.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Founder Member SRF &amp; Medical Director SHHM,\u00a0Dr. Prataprao Gole\u00a0assured,\u00a0\u201cOur medical teams, ambulances and hospitals worked in sync to ensure no casualty and quick response whenever needed. Participant safety is always our top priority.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Dignitaries and Guests<\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The race day and Expo saw strong support from dignitaries and partners including\u00a0Guardian Minister Shri Shambhuraje Desai,\u00a0Mr. Nishant Maheshwari (Founder &amp; CEO, Sportiz),\u00a0Ms. Shraddha Mehta Maheshwari (HOD, Jai Balaji Group),\u00a0Mr. Pranay Saraf (Mala\u2019s Fruit Products),\u00a0Mr. Ganesh Bhagwat &amp; Mr. Raj Agnihotri (Zandu),\u00a0Ms. Dolly Dsouza (Zee24Taas,\u00a0who also ran the event),\u00a0Mr. Dholakia (Owner of Kisna Diamonds &amp; organiser of Kisna Diamond Marathon, Mumbai,\u00a0also participated in the event),\u00a0Shri Harish Patne (Chief Editor, Pudhari),\u00a0Shri Sujit Ambekar (Chief Editor, Lokvrutta),\u00a0Ms. Subha (Fast&amp;Up), and\u00a0Ms. Meena Dave (India Cares Foundation).<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Former race directors, founder members, core team members, including\u00a0Adv Kamlesh Pisal, Dr. Chandrashekhar Gorpade,\u00a0Mr. Abhishek Bhandari, Dr. Devdatta Deo, Mr. Rahul Gaitade, Dr. Dipak Bankar and the entire Satara Runners Foundation Team Members\u00a0contributed immensely in making this event a grand success.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">A City-Wide Celebration<\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The 14th edition of JBG SHHM reinforced why Satara has become synonymous with distance running in India. From the rain-soaked streets to the buzzing Expo, from charity efforts to world-class competition, it was a celebration of running, community, and purpose.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">For more details,<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">visit:<a href=\"http:\/\/www.runsatara.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.runsatara.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">www.runsatara.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>If you object to the content of this press release, please notify us at pr.error.rectification@gmail.com. We will respond and rectify the situation within 24 hours.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Satara (Maharashtra) [India], September 17: Heavy rain could not dampen the spirit of over 8,500 runners who turned up for the 14th edition of the JBG Satara Hill Half Marathon, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":58045,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_rishi_post_view_count":66},"categories":[10],"tags":[675],"class_list":["post-58044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-sports","rishi-post"],"rishi__cb_customizer_meta":"","comments_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58044"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58044\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58045"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newswiredelhi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}