Navi Mumbai: Three professionals from Navi Mumbai showcased social awareness at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026, completing the gruelling 21-km race in themed attire to spark conversations on children’s well-being and doctors’ fitness.
The Runners
The runners—Jai Daga, Chief Technology Officer at South Indian Education Society (SIES); Dr Anand Kumar, a Navi Mumbai–based ophthalmologist; and Kiran Chaudhari, Assistant Engineer with Mahavitaran—are seasoned endurance athletes who recently completed the Ironman 70.3 Goa in November 2025. Despite demanding professional lives, they consistently advocate fitness, mental well-being and balanced lifestyles through action.
For the half marathon, Daga and Chaudhari ran dressed as schoolchildren—white shirts, blue shorts, red ties, school bags and water bottles—highlighting the growing pressures on childhoods. Their placards carried messages such as “Play Is More Important Than Screen Time,” “Get the Kids Outside,” “Parents: Let’s Play Outside,” “Be Their Play Partner, Not Their Screen Partner,” and a heavy school bag reading, “My Bag Weighs More Than Me.”
Doctors’ Fitness Theme
Running alongside them, Dr Kumar represented his profession by completing the race in formal attire with a doctor’s white coat and stethoscope. His messages focused on healthcare workers’ fitness, reading: “Fit Doctors for a Healthier Mumbai,” “Fit Doctors Save Lives,” and “Healthy Doctors = Better Patient Care.”
The trio said the themes were chosen to address rising screen addiction, sedentary lifestyles and lifestyle-related health issues among children and adults. They deliberately opted for the half marathon rather than the popular Dream Run to underline commitment, maintaining pace, hydration and stamina while carrying placards and props over the full 21 km.
Public Response
Their presence drew attention from runners, spectators and volunteers, many of whom stopped to read the messages, take photographs and engage in conversations—effectively turning the marathon route into a moving awareness campaign.
This marked the first time the trio consciously used the Tata Mumbai Marathon as a platform to advocate messages aimed at children, parents, healthcare professionals and urban families, underscoring their belief that meaningful change often begins by taking the first step.
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