Soro Marathon Creates Fitness Revolution in Small-Town India
The recent Soro marathon in Bhubaneswar became much more than just a running event for mathematics lecturer Manas Ranjan Panda. For the 57-year-old educator, completing the 10-kilometer race marked a significant milestone in his four-year fitness journey that began when the marathon was first organized in 2022.
Personal Transformations Through Running
Manas Ranjan Panda, who initially started with 5-kilometer runs in 2022, has experienced remarkable health benefits from his consistent running practice. The lecturer from Upendra Nath College in Soro shared that his year-round training has not only improved his fitness levels but also given him the stamina to work for 12 to 14 hours daily.
"Regular running has helped me eliminate medications, reduce weight, and adopt a disciplined lifestyle," Panda revealed, emphasizing how the marathon served as a tangible indicator of his physical progress.
The fitness movement has inspired many local residents, including 29-year-old commerce lecturer and taekwondo trainer Adyasa Das. She noted that having an annual marathon event in their town has motivated numerous people to exercise regularly and improve their fitness specifically to participate in the winter event.
Community Impact and Growing Participation
This year's event saw impressive participation with 1,626 registered runners, more than half of whom were repeat participants from previous years. The marathon route started and ended at the Town Hall, passing near SN High School in Soro, with participants having the option to run either 5 km or 10 km distances.
The event was efficiently managed by 230 dedicated volunteers who handled all on-ground operations. Rashmita Sahu, a 48-year-old homemaker and vice-president of the Soro marathon organizing committee, expressed her enthusiasm: "I wait for the Soro marathon every year. It has made me more health-conscious."
Adyasa Das, who works at Anantpur-based Saraswata Mahavidyalaya near Soro, highlighted the broader social impact: "The annual event has increased the craze for fitness among people, particularly women who are bound by tradition. I often see people walking and running with the intention of participating. The marathon requires a tremendous amount of preparation from commoners."
Vision Behind the Grassroots Fitness Movement
The brain behind this initiative, Chicago-based NRI engineer Nihar Rout, explained the core philosophy: "The idea behind organizing a marathon in a place like Soro is to create awareness at the ground-level in areas where people don't get to participate in these events. The only events they typically see are festivals."
Rout, who has traveled from Chicago to Tokyo, Berlin, and London to run marathons, observed that people from smaller towns particularly value these events since many cannot afford to travel to larger cities like Bhubaneswar for such opportunities.
The event received support from local dignitaries including Soro MLA Madhab Dhada who inaugurated the marathon. Other notable attendees included DIG (eastern range) Pinak Mishra, Soro tehsildar Daitari Mallik, Soro Municipality executive officer Biswaranjan Pradhan, and BJP's Balasore district president Iswar Behera.
As part of the comprehensive fitness program, a special hour-and-a-half yoga session was organized at Radhanath field in Soro during the afternoon. The session was led by yoga instructors Neeta Mohanty from Chicago and Khagapati Meher from Gayatri Parivar, Shantikunj, Haridwar, attracting approximately 250 participants.
Banker Brajakishore Kar, a 58-year-old from Pentei village located 12 km from Soro, praised the initiative while suggesting better publicity in nearby villages. "Diseases are not confined to the urban population but villagers too suffer from lifestyle changes," Kar noted, emphasizing that events like marathons can help communities lead healthier lives.
