Paralympic gold medallist Murlikant Petkar to flag off IITH run

Sangareddy: Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) will host the IIT Hyderabad Half Marathon-2026 on November 22 at its campus, with India’s first Paralympic gold medallist, Murlikant Rajaram Petkar, attending as the chief guest and flagging off the event. A Padma Shri awardee and recipient of the Arjuna Award (Lifetime) for para-swimming, Petkar’s sporting journey inspired the film Chandu Champion, bringing his story of determination and resilience to a wider audience. IITH has invited students, faculty, staff, alumni, working professionals, amateur runners, experienced athletes, families and fitness enthusiasts from Hyderabad, Sangareddy and across Telangana to participate in the event.

The IIT Hyderabad Half Marathon-2026 will feature four categories for runners with different levels of experience: the Half Marathon (21.097 km), 10K Run (10 km), 5K Run (5 km) and 5K Fun Run. Prize money will be awarded to the top three male and female finishers in each of the three competitive categories: the Half Marathon, 10K Run and 5K Run.

The first prize is Rs 10,000 each for men and women, the second prize is Rs 7,000 each, and the third prize is Rs 5,000 each. Swan Turbine Services Private Limited is the title sponsor and is supporting the prize-money awards for the 2026 edition.

Registrations are open at https://ifinish.in/running/IITHHM_2026. Runners are encouraged to register before the deadline and join IITH on November 22 for a celebration of fitness, community spirit and perseverance. For queries, participants can email iithrunners@gmail.com or send a message to 91 81792 40702.