Pune/Satara: A 65-year-old runner from Pune died after suffering a heart attack while participating in the Satara Hill Half Marathon on Sunday. Sanjay Shamrao Kadam, a former senior computer scientist at the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), collapsed shortly before reaching the finish line.
Kadam developed chest pain while running downhill during the challenging race. A cardiologist who was also participating in the marathon noticed him and immediately began CPR after identifying signs of cardiac arrest.
The marathon’s medical team and volunteers quickly shifted Kadam to an ambulance. Emergency medication was administered on the way to a private hospital. Doctors later conducted an angiography and found a blockage in his main artery. An angioplasty was performed, and his condition was initially reported to be stable.
However, Kadam suffered a massive heart attack at around 2:30 pm and died despite treatment.
Kadam had retired from C-DAC in Pune and was working as a consultant. He was also an active runner and regularly practised in Pune. He is survived by his wife, two children and mother.
The Satara Hill Half Marathon is known for its difficult route, including a steep uphill stretch that continues for several kilometres. Organisers conduct practice runs for around two months before the event and advise participants to prepare adequately and avoid pushing themselves beyond their limits.
This is the second reported death at the event in the last four years. In 2022, another runner from Kolhapur, who was an IIT Kharagpur alumnus, died around 200 metres before the finish line.
