MUMBAI, JANUARY 16, 2024 (GPN): The 19^th edition of Asia’s most prestigious Marathon event, the Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) has witnessed an unprecedented achievement, as 267 NGOs collectively raised a record-breaking INR 58 crores, reaffirming its status as India’s largest sporting platform for philanthropy. The success of this endeavour is attributed to the collaborative efforts with United Way Mumbai (UWM), the event’s esteemed Philanthropy Partner.

In its role as the Philanthropy Partner, UWM has played a pivotal role in building capacities of partnering non-profits to raise funds and awareness for their projects. UWM ensures a transparent, cause-neutral, level-playing field by providing a robust digital platform. UWM maximizes the fundraising opportunities of the limited running spots available at TMM and distributes them equitably between the NGOs.

The evolution of philanthropy at TMM is remarkable, progressing from a cumulative total of INR  43 Lacs by 12 NGOs in the inaugural edition, to surpassing INR 400 crores today, benefiting over 750 NGOs.

George Aikara, CEO, United Way Mumbai, said, “I would like to congratulate all the participating NGOs for the remarkable philanthropic success of the Tata Mumbai Marathon. We have been the Philanthropy Partner of the TMM since 2009 and have witnessed the marathon’s evolution into a strong catalyst of social impact. The participation of 12,000 individuals this year and a record-breaking fundraising effort, highlights the marathon’s unique ability to engage and inspire. The funds and awareness raised through TMM will allow our NGO partners to lend a helping hand and make a lasting impact.”

Manisha Khemlani, CEO, Central Chinmaya Mission Trust said, “The secret sauce of my success is my family, my team. My mission is my family and being the CEO of the organisation, I am fortunate enough to be participating in raising funds for the marathon. We work to raise funds for education, starving children and more. Swami Chinmaya Ji, the founder believed that a child spends a lot of time in school and the values that are given in school are very important. We have a four pillar system, we look at the physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual personality of the child. Interestingly, about 45% of our 82 schools are either in remote areas or in this two tier cities. Thanks to the support of the Tata Mumbai marathon and Procam who help us reach out to over 600 children with scholarships solely because of the awareness and the opportunity to raise funds. I’m very grateful to Procam International, United Way of Mumbai for giving us this opportunity to combine fitness and fundraising.”

Mira Joshi, Cuddles Foundation Nayi Disha Resource Centre, Family Planning Association India, said “Speaking on the occasion Mira Joshi said, When I was younger I saw my dad raising funds every single year. He used to tell me how he helped different people and the things that he had done. When I turn 12, I could qualify for the dream run. I decided that I too wanted to help people. My father was my inspiration.”

Divyanshu Ganatra, Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation said, “Tata Mumbai Marathon is one of the best platforms to create awareness, raise funds and reach out to the right people. When we started last year in 2023 we supported 100, and this year, we were able to support 300 children. Now we have reached four states, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Bangalore impacting 1000 people’s lives directly. Thanks you Tata Mumbai Marathon for giving us an equal platform that allows the world’s biggest CEOs and the most invisible minority populations in the world to come together and run.”

This edition marks a historic turnout, featuring an unprecedented participation of more than 12,000 individuals actively running to champion diverse causes. Notably, nearly 10,000 of these participants hail from the corporate sector. The Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) has solidified its position as the preferred event for India Inc., leveraging its distinctive capacity to involve employees, generate funds, and contribute significantly to philanthropy through CSR contributions. Remarkably, this segment alone has contributed an impressive sum exceeding INR 22 crores.

The heartbeat of TMM’s philanthropic impact lies in individuals creating awareness and fundraising for diverse causes. This year, 1100 individuals are actively raising funds for civic issues, culture, sports, education, environment, health, human rights, inclusion, and more. Notably, 151 individuals have raised over INR 1.75 lakh each to become ‘Change Runners’.

Vivek Singh, Jt, MD, Procam International said, ” At Tata Mumbai Marathon, runners have already collected over INR 58 crores, a feat that has never been achieved before race day. I am honoured to witness the spirit of sportsmanship and the philanthropic heartbeat of every runner who made this possible. TMM stands as a unique sporting platform, the only one of its kind, empowering participants to raise substantial funds, and making each step a stride towards positive change. At TMM, each year, more and more are choosing to run with purpose, with compassion, and together create a lasting positive impact on the world we co-habit.” It is truly # HarDilMumbai

The highest individual fundraiser, Ms. Manisha Khemlani, has achieved an outstanding feat by raising over INR 7.6 crores making her the highest Fundraising Individual in the history of the TMM. With Ms Khemlani, the other notable fundraisers include her colleague Darshini Bhatt who raised over INR 4.1 crores for the Central Chinmaya Mission Trust.

The Mother-daughter duo of Dr. Meera  Mehta and Dr. Bijal Mehta have both raised over INR 1 and INR 2 crores respectively with Ms. Villy Doctor, Mr. Shyam Jasani, Mr. Sunit Kothari, and Mr. Utppal Mehta, each raising over INR 1 crore.

Additionally, Mr. Rajkumar Jain and Mr. Murlikrishnan must be recognized for raising over INR 50 lakhs each. Mr Shaurya Banga stands out as the highest Young Leader, below the age of 21, having raised over INR 50 lakhs.

As part of top-up donations, 3,365 runners chose to contribute beyond the participation fee, accumulating a substantial collection of INR 23 lakhs to benefit 49 NGOs. This philanthropic gesture not only reflects the benevolence of the running community but also amplifies the impact of the Tata Mumbai Marathon beyond the race track.

This year as part of The Green Bib initiative, TMM and UWM have raised over Rs 27 lakhs to plant through 4,371 trees. The TMM Green Bib is an initiative that allowed runners to contribute to the plantation and maintenance of trees in the TMM Agro Forest. The donations have come from over 2,500 runners. This Agri-Horti initiative supports environmental sustainability, and augments farmer income, thru optimum utilisation of their existing acreage. For this pilot edition of the Green Bib, UWM has targeted the Solapur District of Maharashtra.

Tata Mumbai Marathon continues to inspire and catalyze positive change through its unique blend of sports and philanthropy, leaving an enduring impact on society.

About United Way of Mumbai

Panelists Profiles

Dr Bijal Mehta, Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care:

Dr. Bijal Mehta serves as a Trustee at Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care (SRLC). With a Master of Science degree in Ophthalmology, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise fostered across two decades in the domain of Cataract & Refractive Surgery. She is the Director of Right Sight Eye Care, LLP, nestled in the heart of South Mumbai.  Dr. Mehta also serves on the Advisory Board of Divya Jyot Trust in Surat, to drive their mission of performing 13,000 annual eye surgeries for underprivileged communities.

At Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care, Dr. Bijal Mehta spearheads cross-functional teams, devising strategic plans for their various social projects; while also heading the Resource Mobilisation Team, nurturing corporate relationships. She has led SRLC to remarkable achievements, consecutively securing the position of the largest nonprofit fundraiser at the Tata Mumbai Marathon. As a coveted speaker at Marathon events, Dr.Bijal shares her expertise with budding NGOs and individuals, on successful fundraising.

Under her able leadership, mega multi-specialty medical camps are organized in several underserved regions such as Darbhanga in Bihar, Vavania, and Dharampur in Gujarat. The movement continues to grow by leaps and bounds, making quality healthcare accessible by making it free of cost to thousands of less privileged people.

Through her unwavering dedication to philanthropic pursuits, Dr.Bijal Mehta has emerged as a torch bearer of humanity and an icon of change; guiding individuals and institutions; to create a positive impact.

Ajay Mehta’s, ADHAR: 

Meet Ajay H Mehta, a visionary leader and philanthropist committed to impacting the lives of intellectually challenged adults. A B.Com and C.A., Ajay leads the FinTech business Me-Hin Tech Edge Solutions. In 2016, he became a Trustee for ADHAR, an organization providing lifelong care to intellectually challenged adults.

Under Ajay’s guidance, ADHAR, celebrating its 30th anniversary, cares for 350+ individuals with 270 staff members. The organization has received THREE Best Institutions Awards from the President of India and established residential facilities in Badlapur, Nashik, and an upcoming centre in Satara.

Beyond care, ADHAR focuses on holistic development through vocational training and a Senior Citizens Home at the Nashik complex. Operating on donations, Ajay’s leadership sustains and expands ADHAR’s mission. Ajay H Mehta’s journey is a beacon of hope, highlighting compassion and dedicated leadership.

Divyanshu Ganatra, Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation:

At nineteen, Divyanshu Ganatra lost his eyesight to glaucoma. Despite the challenges, he pursued a career as a clinical psychologist and became India’s first blind pilot. Why? because he simply could not reconcile with what the world was trying to tell him: that the rest of his life would be spent making cane furniture and chalk pieces. This need to do more, be more, and say more was what led to the birth of the Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation (ABBF). An organization aimed at eradicating the stigma that surrounds disability even today. In effect, Divyanshu lost his sight, but gained a vision: to promote empathy and inclusivity for all; to create a world where no one is left behind. And that is the very heart of ABBF.

ABBF’s sole reason to be is to build an inclusive world for persons with and without disability. By organizing outdoor sports activities, we encourage dialogue and build empathy between persons with and without disability. This interaction educates participants about equal opportunity, enhances their life skills, and brings them closer to employment.

And it goes without saying that funds are a necessity to bring these ideals to fruition. Our journey is supported by corporate sponsors, individual donors, CSR activities, various sporting experiences – such as the upcoming marathon – and platforms like United Way Mumbai that make contributing to the cause of disability inclusion a breeze for anyone across the globe. Ultimately, each contribution is a step towards building a world where ‘impossible’ is just a word, and sport becomes the catalyst that helps us all come together to nurture a society where no one is left behind.

Manisha Khemlani from Central Chinmaya Mission Trust: 

Manisha Khemlani is the CEO of the Central Chinmaya Mission Trust (CCMT), the apex administrative body of the Chinmaya Mission worldwide. She is also a Trustee of Chinmaya  Vishwa Vidyapeeth, the path-breaking Chinmaya University that mainstreams Indian Knowledge Systems through amalgamation with global modules in Contemporary Knowledge Systems.

A qualified neurophysiotherapist with training from Sydney, Australia, she started her association with Chinmaya Mission in 1984. Her full-time work with the organization began in 2000 at the Chinmaya Organisation for Rural Development (CORD), where she served for four years at rural development projects in Sidhbari, Himachal Pradesh, observing and learning the way of life in rural Bharat.

She is deeply passionate about quality education and healthcare for all and is a strong proponent of building sustainable and self-reliant systems for progress. Having achieved the Change Icon status last year at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2023, Manisha Khemlani dedicates all her achievements to the grace of God and Guru. She is looking forward to many more milestones achieved in this edition

Mira Joshi, Cuddles Foundation Nayi Disha Resource Centre, Family Planning Association India:

Mira is 12-year-old and is a 6th-grade student at Hill Spring International School. She is a bookworm, a budding Kathak dancer, and enjoys engaging in art and swimming. With her heart dedicated to creating change, she has chosen to fundraise for the Cuddles Foundation, moved by the organization’s mission of providing nutritious food to paediatric cancer patients—a fundamental need often taken for granted.

This experience has ignited a lasting commitment in Mira. She is determined to continue her efforts, contributing to the mission of ensuring proper nutrition for those in need. Mira is also raising funds for Family Planning Association and Nayi Disha Resource Centre.

Mira’s father along with Vishal has consistently demonstrated a commitment to fundraising at the Tata Mumbai Marathon, they have been raising funds since serving as an inspiring influence that has motivated her to actively contribute to the cause by raising funds.

Kunal Pandagle AKA Kaam Bhaari, Vipla Foundation: 

Famously known as Kaam Bhaari, Kunal the 22-year-old Mumbai based Rapper and lyrical machine created waves with his unique style and powerful lyrics.  Kunal’s journey as a rapper began with ‘Series 101’ on YouTube.  He soon gained recognition when he was selected for Ranveer Singh’s ‘Jack and Jones’ campaign in 2015. This propelled him into pursuing rap professionally.

Kaam Bhaari stands out in Indian hip-hop with his distinct flow of expression. His songs ‘Kab Se Kab Tak’ and ‘Kaam Bhaari, Bhaari Kaam’ in the movie ‘Gully Boy’ gave him further recognition and he released impactful tracks like ‘Zeher,’ ‘Mohabbat,’ ‘Aasman,’ and ‘Nazar’ influencing the independent hip-hop scene in India.  Kaam Bhaari received the Best Indian Act for ‘Mohabbat’ at the European Music Awards 2020.

When I Visited the Vipla Foundation for a meeting I got the chance to meet the children who were hearing impaired and intellectually disabled and were playing there during their class break. Their smiling faces and optimistic approach toward life despite their challenges inspired me to take up this fundraising campaign, and the experience was truly heart-warming. It reminded me that we all have the power to shape the future of children, and hence I supported the cause of quality education, which is close to my heart. Education opens the door of opportunity for children, and every contribution, big or small, paves the way for a brighter tomorrow. Let’s continue to support each other for a world where education knows no bounds. Ends

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