Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2012 (SCMM) of 15th January, 2012 will always be remembered by all the Gorkhas. It was the day, on which 16 Gorkhas ran Half marathon (21km), 3 Gorkhas ran Dream Run (6km) and a Gorkha Girl ran Full marathon (42km) to do our self-expression that ‘We are Gorkhas and proud to be Indians. Jai Gorkha, Jai Hind’. We all ran for a reason.

 

I did Landmark Forum in 3rd Weekend of June 2011. It was only three days course on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. After Landmark Forum, I understood myself better and I decided to go for Landmark Advance Course. I registered myself for Landmark advance course of three days, which was immediately on next weekend. The third curriculum of Landmark is Self Expression and Leadership program’ (SELP) and I thought I would do it only in the year 2012 but my Landmark Advance Coach Binay Fanekar insisted me do to it in the first available batch. I was giving him thousand reasons to postpone my SELP but he said, “Roshni, Landmark is a curriculum for living and it does not teach you to live a comfortable life. If you want to live a powerful life and the life you love, go for SELP”. That conversation with Coach Bijay was very powerful. I registered myself for the first available SELP, which was starting from 14th August, 2011.      

 

SELP did wonders in my life. For SELP, we have to take a project, which is close to our heart and it should benefit our community. For me running is close to my heart, hence I decided to take a project related to running. I declared in SELP class that the name of my project will be RUN WITH ROSHNI and I will support the runners from Darjeeling to run Thane Marathon in February 2012. Afterwards a thought came to me, if the runners are coming all the way from Darjeeling to Maharashtra, it would be better, if they run Mumbai Marathon because Standard Chartered Mumbai marathon (SCMM) is the only Indian marathon of International Standard.

 

My SELP class started on 14th August, 2011 and on 20th August, 2011 only, the registration was closed for SCMM 2012. On doing search, I got to know that the registration can be done through NGOs but I have to pay Rs. 5000/- (Five Thousand Only) for the registration of one runner. I thought, I will pledge people from Darjeeling- Sikkim to raise the enough fund for the project. I started contacting my friends from Darjeeling to identify runners. In SELP, it was mandatory that my project should benefit more than 20 people, which mean I had to support more than 20 runners to run Mumbai marathon.

 

In the 1st week of September, I had gone to Darjeeling and I met seven runners. I was very inspired to hear that some of them can run 21km in between 1hr 17mins to 1hr 30mins. Best Indian timing for 21km is 1hr 4mins and that is after getting proper training and guidance. While talking to those runners, I got to know that they were overtraining. After talking to my coach Daniel Vaz, I gave them some tips on training and returned back to Mumbai. Eleven runners from Darjeeling and Kalimpong were confirmed to come to run SCMM, hence I blocked eleven registration forms from one NGO. The concerned person of that NGO told me that if I block 20 forms;  irrespective of I get runners or not I have to pay Rs. 5000/- each for 20 forms. I approached another NGO, whose condition was that the runners should wear the t-shirt of their NGO while running the marathon. I told the concerned person, if she could give the t-shirts 2-3 months before so that Runners get to practice on her NGO’s t-shirt because runners are not supposed to wear anything new on Marathon day. Afterwards that NGO told me that they cannot give me the forms for less than Rs. 10,000/- per form.

 

During that period one of my runner friends Valroy helped me a lot. He helped me to get 12 registration forms from two different NGOs. Thanks Valroy.

 

There was a major earthquake in Darjeeling-Sikkim on 18th September, 2011 and the last date for submitting the marathon registration form through NGOs was 30th September, 2011. I was not getting documents from confirmed runners and I was requesting some of the known people to support my project by running 21km (half marathon). I am very confident that the people of Darjeeling Hills are very strong and at any given point of time anybody born and brought up in the Hills of Darjeeling can walk 21km but more than 20 people, whom I approached gave me stupid reasons and told me they cannot walk 21km.

 

Sushma, one of my SELP batch mate, gave me the contact details of the concerned person of Procam. Procam is a Company which organizes Mumbai marathon. I wrote to Procam requesting to give me the extension of 15days time for submitting the registration forms for the runners from Darjeeling. On the humanitarian ground, they gave me extension of date for submitting the forms.

 

For collecting registration fees, I started writing emails to many prominent people of Darjeeling and Sikkim. I got very nice replies saying that ‘ Roshni, we are very proud of you. Like your name, you are spreading ROSHNI all over. But I am so sorry; I am not in position to help you.’ Actually, I was the first one to do such kind of project and concept of marathon is very new to many of them, they could not understand that how the project RUN WITH ROSHNI will benefit the community.

 

Thankfully, I belong to two communities, one is Gorkha and another is Runners community. I started pledging my runner friends from all over India to support for my project.

 

I wrote to them the following message;

The history of Darjeeling is intertwined with that of Bengal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Nepal. Until the early 19th century, the hilly area around Darjeeling was historically controlled by the kingdoms of Bhutan and Sikkim, while the plains around Siliguri were intermittently occupied by the kingdom of Nepal. In 1828, a delegation of British East Indian Company officials on its way to Sikkim stayed in Darjeeling and decided that the region was a suitable site for a sanatorium for British soldiers. The Company negotiated a lease of the area from the Chogyal of Sikkim in 1835. In 1864, the Bhutanese rulers and the British signed a treaty that ceded the passes leading through the hills and Kalimpong to the British. By 1866, Darjeeling District had assumed its current shape and size. Hence our mother tongue is Nepali and we are proud to be Indians. But everywhere we go, we face identity crises. Every time, I say my mother tongue is Nepali, I am being asked whether I am from Nepal.

 

Nepali is a recognized National language under the Constitution of India and it is the 9th language mentioned on the Indian Currency. I just want all Indians to know that how Ghorkhas are Indians. Every time there are any disturbances in any border of India, Darjeeling receives 4-5 dead bodies of her sons, who are serving in Indian Army because Gorkha Regiment is always in front to protect mother India.

 

We are going wear running t-shirts with the slogan- We are Gorkhas and proud to be Indians.Jai Gorkha, Jai Hind.

 

I also wrote to them that the runners from Darjeeling are very strong, if they get proper guidance and full support; they will start to compete with Kenyans and they will make India proud.

 

Just in half an hour of sending the emails with above message to the runners, I got a call from one of my Runner Girlfriend and she told me that she has transferred some money for my project and she asked me to check my account. On checking my account, I saw that she had transferred Rs. 20,000/- (Twenty Thousand). I thought, may be by mistake she transferred more money. When I called her up, she said that she wants to sponsor four runners and she told me not to disclose her name anywhere. After that I started getting cheques and messages from runner friends from all over India. Each runner friend gave me the registration fee for one runner from Darjeeling.  It really boosted my confidence. Within a week’s time, I had enough money to do registration of 22 runners.

 

After doing registration also I had enough money and I asked Naina from Bangalore to get the Declathon t-shirt, in which I asked her to print RUN WITH ROSHNI in front and WE ARE GORKHAS AND PROUD TO BE INDIANS. JAI GORKHA, JAI HIND on the back. I got 50 such t-shirts before going home for Diwali.

 

I was very inspired and excited with my project. I decided to have an Introduction program in Kalimpong on 29th Oct, 2011 just a day after Diwali. I created an event on facebook, giving all the details of my project and how it is getting progress. On 29th Oct, 2011, after running 6hrs, which was my last training run before 75km Bangalore Ultra on 13th Nov, 2012, I was all set for Introduction program. With the support of Kalimpong Press Club the Introduction program went very well. I shared the progress of my project and my experience of running various marathons with all the runners registered for Mumbai Marathon 2012 and the guests present in the program. We launched our Run with Roshni t-shirt on the program.

 

Everything was going well but I was not getting media mention of my project. In the last week of December 2011 Prasant Acharya Daju got to know about my project from facebook. He called me up and told me that my project is worth getting media mention. He started sending out press releases to all the leading newspapers.

 

Runners from Darjeeling were leaving for Mumbai on 10th Jan, 2012. Before they left, they had press conference. I was getting very excited with the project but I was getting tensed with my own marathon, which I had targeted to do in less than 5 hrs, to qualify for Comrades Marathon in South Africa.

The last week before the marathon is very important for the runners. Coach Daniel had given me the tapering schedule but which I could not follow at all. At times, I really wonder, how does my coach tolerate me because as per my lifestyle he has to keep on changing my running schedule to help me to achieve my running goals.

 

Runners from Darjeeling arrived Mumbai on 12th Jan 2012. I went to receive them after office with Mohan Daju. They reached VT at 9.30pm. By the time we reached Belapur, it was 11.30pm. Pooman Didi, Jaya didi, CB Unlce and Kamlesh Bhaiya had arranged an apartment for their stay and they only came to pick us up from Belapur station. After dinner, when we went to sleep, it was 1am.

 

13th Jan, 2012, we got an opportunity to meet some Medias in VT but before that Coach Daniel was coming to meet the runners from Darjeeling. He gave last minute tips to all the runners and I could clearly see how worried he was for my marathon. He reminded me that how hard training I had done to do sub 5 hrs marathon. He understood that I had no time to take rest before the run, hence he told me, ‘Roshni, enjoy the run and if you do it in target time, it will be a bonus’.

 

After the meeting with Coach Daniel, we hurriedly left for VT. Prashant Acharya Daju has arranged for media meet. We got opportunity to give interviews to some electronic media as well. Many newspapers’ photographers took our photos. We all felt very good to get opportunity to highlight the issue of our identity crisis. In Darjeeling many things happen but they never get covered by national newspapers.  

 

After media meet, we reached Belapur at around 7pm. I tried to make it early night but the runners from Darjeeling wanted to thank me in a very special manner. They had got the KHASTO (traditional handmade shawl) for me and the SUNAKHARI (Orchid flowers) for me. 

On behalf of the runners from Darjeeling, Mala told that none of them had dreamed to come to run Mumbai marathon and because of the project Run with Roshni, they all got the opportunity to run for our entire community.

I was very touched with her speech and it made me very emotional, no doubt, I shed the tears of happiness ;-). It was not only my dream but it was our dream and universe had conspired to help us to fulfil it. After sharing how I started the project and what kind of support I got from my runners friend, I told them what all we can expect on marathon, we went to sleep after 1am.

 

14th Jan, 2012, we left Belapur for World Trade Centre in Caffe Parade to collect the bib nos of all the runners. Many of them had forgotten to carry the print of email confirmation and some of them did not get the confirmation email. So we all had to line up in information kiosk and after getting details from there we got into the line to get the bib nos. Three- four runners information were showing wrong and in timing chips also some information were wrong. After making all the corrections and collecting the bib nos of all the runners, I checked the bibs of the fast runners, whose timing certificates I had submitted with the registration forms but all of them had got the D row. They give A row to the fast runners, B to slow runners, C to slower runners and D to the beginners or the slowest runners. Runners starting from D row would be standing behind almost ten thousand runners.  With the fast runners, I went to meet the concerned person to request to give the bib with A row. They called for the forms and checked the earlier marathon certificates and told me that they cannot accept the certificates from the local marathons. While doing all these, I was on my feet for more than five hours.  Actually a day before marathon, I should have been just sleeping and eating and I should have given full rest to my legs.

 

After collecting the bibs, runners left for Belapur with Mohan Daju and l left for Powai. After reaching room at around 6pm, I decided to have early dinner and go to sleep. But I was very nervous; I did not get sleep at all. Runners in Belapur were very nervous too and they were calling me up to ask, where they could keep their luggage at the start. I told them to read the handout given with the bibs. Mala, who was beaten by dog, was still not sure whether to run the marathon the next day or not. I told her that if she had confidence to walk 21km go for it otherwise don’t board the runners bus in the morning because she would make other runners also nervous. Runners from Darjeeling were going to the start line with the Navi Mumbai Runners, who had arranged for the bus. Thanks to all the Navi Mumbai Runners specially to Kripa, Sushmit, Mr. Swami, Surya, Vatsan, Venkat, Mr. Anantharaman and all of you. Sorry for missing out some of your names ;-)

 

I was getting too nervous for my own marathon, I was feeling like crying. After keeping everything ready for the marathon, I tried to go back to sleep.  Ritesh my younger brother reached home from his duty at 12am. He was asking me where he had to go for his dream run of 6km. I lose my temper and shouted at him for not reading the details of his event. I got up and pulled out the handout of dream run and I was reading it out to him at the top of my voice and I was shouting at him for not understanding my problem. He was requesting me to go back to sleep and not to lose my temper.  I was telling Ritesh that nobody understand the problems of marathon runners. Poor Ritesh, he was telling me that he is there to understand me ;-)

 

I tried to go back to sleep but without getting a single sleep my alarm started at 3am. I checked my resting pulse rate, which was 64 in 60 sec, which are usually 53 in 60 secs.  When I got up from my bed, I found both my legs were shivering and I was feeling very week. I thought my dream and all my training of running 42km in less than 5 hrs in Mumbai Marathon 2012 was gone. I was getting ready and I could not help it, I started sobbing. Ritesh saw me crying and he told me that if I cry I will lose my energy and it will impact my marathon. I told him that my dream to qualify for comrades is gone and he told me not to be negative and be positive.  After taking shower, I had breakfast of UPAMA and left home at 4am. Asha Arora was staying with Madhu and she had arranged a taxi for us to drop till Vikroli station.  As soon as I meet Asha, I told her, how tired I was feeling. When I reached Vikroli, I got a sms from Ritesh saying, ‘Nana (which means sister in our language) even if you cannot fulfil your dream to run comrades, don’t worry, you have fulfilled the dreams for 23 people, who have never dreamt to run Mumbai marathon. You are already a winner, before the race begins. I am very proud of you.’ I was so touched with the sms of my little brother; I started crying and showed the sms to Asha, who gave me a big hug.

 

I reached starting line with Asha at 5am and we were meeting our runner friends from all over but I was so nervous to talk to them. I finished drinking one litre of water by 5.20am and went to take a loo break. At 5.30 am, I was in holding area, where I met Brijesh. He was very surprised to see me so low. I told him that I am very exhausted, he said, don’t worry you will do it.

 

At 5.40am, our race started. I started my stop watch and started running but I had no confidence that I would finish 42km in less than 5 hours.  Coach Daniel had given a very beautiful race plan. First 21km was little faster and 2nd 21km little slower.  I was wearing the t –shirt with slogan- WE ARE GORKHAS AND PROUD TO BE INDIANS. JAI GORKHA, JAI HIND. Near to Oberoi hotel a girl and a guy running together overtook me and I heard their conversation. Girl was saying how come Gorkhas are Indian. Guy said may be her family is in Indian Army. I had no time to explain them that how are we Indians.

 

Anyway, maintaining my pace as per the race plan, I reached 11km but my legs started becoming very heavy, I was not enjoying to run at all. I was feeling that may be after 20-21km, I have to quit.  After crossing Mela restaurant, I stated seeing half marathon runners running on the opposite road and I saw Ramesh running very strong. I shouted at him, ‘Jai Gorkha’, after that I got back my energy. I started seeing our runners from Darjeeling and I started shouting ‘Jai Gorkha’ to each of them, which really gave me power. I met Premika running very close and when I shouted ‘Jai Gorkha’ to her, she also shouted back to me with full energy ‘Jai Gorkha’. After that I felt, whatever may go wrong, I am not quitting.

 

Sea Link came and I crossed it strong. I decided to take loo break after the Sea Link for which I had to wait almost 4 mins and I saw loo was too dirty. But I had no option. After that I started running as per my race plan. From 23 km my pace was getting slower and slower but I was not getting nervous because Coach had given me the race plan in which 2nd 21km was slower. At around 28km, 5hrs bus of Nipa Sheth and Amit Sheth met me. Last year I could not run with 5hrs bus after 35km. This year I decided to stick with 5 hrs bus. I got more nervous, when they met me. From 30km, I started following the instruction of Amit, which he was giving to all the runners running with him. We were running 1km and taking walk break, water break and again running. When we reached Pedder Raod, I saw all the runners were very strong, I thought that I would miss the 5 hrs bus from there but thankfully, Amit gave walk break to all.  We all did brisk walk and crossed Pedder Road. When we touched 36km mark, Amit said, ‘Those who are feeling strong can go ahead”. I had no courage to leave Nipa and Amit, I had full faith on two of them, who would help me to finish 42km in less than 5hrs.

 

At 37km, I looked at my stop watch but it has restarted.  At 38km, Nipa increased her pace and I could not follow her. Only assurance, I had was Amit was still behind and I am within 5hrs target time. When I reached Churchgate station, one runner told me that still 18mins left for 5hrs. I got the confidence that I will run last 2km in less than 18mins. After seeing 500 mtrs board to finish, I thought of increasing my pace but my body had no energy left to run faster.  I touched the finish line and asked a person who finished with me for his finish time, he said 4 hrs 50mins. I thanked God and walked little further and saw Madhu waiting for me. I hugged her and I said, ‘Madhu, I am going to run Comrades in South Africa’ and I started crying. I was still hugging Madhu, a guy came and told me, ‘you look so emotional to finish your marathon, could you share your story with me, I am from DNA’.

 

I gave my interview to him with tears still flowing from my eyes. I told him about the runners from Darjeeling. He said he wanted to meet all the runners. I took him to gate no. 5, where all the heroes from Darjeeling were waiting for me. Prabal did 21km in 1hrs 16 mins, Ramesh in 1hr 19 mins, Abinash did not do any practice and he was working from Saturday 4pm to Sunday 4am and he had directly gone to start line and he finished 21km in 2hrs 3mins. Out of 15 runners, 9 of them had done sub 2hrs half marathon. I felt very proud of them. Mala, who was not sure till Saturday night whether to run or not, she did it in 2hrs 54mins.

 

Coach Daniel had given me the Barista passes for all the runners, so we went to Barista and we had the packet lunch there. Some of my runner friends could meet the runners from Darjeeling. I am feeling bad for not being able to organise a meeting of runners from Darjeeling with all my runner friends, who supported me for the project. I acknowledge each of my runner friends and everybody, who supported me for doing this project. Your gesture is already bringing a huge difference. May God bless you all.

 

Vivek Behl, my Landmark Coach finished his first half marathon (21km) with his 110km weight in 4 hrs 40mins. He was running 21km, just to support all the Gorkhas. He reached Mumbai from Delhi by flight, just a day before marathon. He came to meet all of us in Barista after his marathon. Thank you so much Vivek.

 

Shadeep Bhena, Poonam Didi, CB Uncle, Jaya Didi, Rohit Daju, Mohan Daju and all their family members, who made the arrangements for accommodation for the runners from Darjeeling, were very happy with the performance of all the runners. Special thanks to the Rotary Club of Navi Mumbai, who supported the runners from Darjeeling with  their food.

 

Jaya didi invited all of us for the lunch after the marathon and after that we took rest. In the evening, Mohan Daju gave us a Biryani Party in the club house of Jaya Didi’s society. All the runners enjoyed dancing. Looking at the dancing runners, nobody could say that they had finished 21km on the same day. After the party, we went to sleep after 1am.

 

On 16th Jan, 2012, we all got ready in our traditional dress by 6am to go for Mumbai Darshan.  All were very excited to wear our traditional dress in Mumbai. Before leaving, I told all of them that while normally walking in the road also, we get various kinds of comments and while wearing our traditional dress, which they have never seen before, we might get more comments, which we may not like but please don’t react to any comments. Our Mumbai Darsan started from Gate Way of India; we clicked the picture with our marathon Medal. We went for 45mins boat ride followed by hanging garden, Mahalaxmi Temple, 4D movies, Nehru Science Center, Juhu Beach, Bandstand and all. We did not get any comment, which made us unhappy rather people were coming to click pictures with us. We met many tourists from Nepal, who were very surprised to see the young people wearing traditional dress and roaming around in Mumbai.

 

We got lots of media mention and after reading one article in a newspaper; mother of a runner from Darjeeling contacted me and met her son in one point when we were doing Mumbai Darsan. That guy was meeting his mother for the first time and he was worried that his family in Darjeeling would not like him meeting his mother. When that runner shared his life with me, I felt like crying and I thanked God for making me an instrument in a reunion of a mother and son. Our experience of Mumbai Darsan in traditional dress was wonderful though it was just an experiment.

 

Poonam Didi invited all the runners for the last day’s dinner. After dinner, Poonam didi and family gave token of love to all the runners. By the time, we went to bed it was 12am.

 

17th Jan, 2012, the runners had a train to Kolkata from VT at 6am. We got up at 3am and left Belapur by 4am local train. Mohan Daju and Rohit Daju also had come to see the runners off. After settling down in their seats, they all were saying bye, suddenly the guy, who met his mother for the first time came and hugged me and started crying. He was saying that it was because of me, he could meet his mother, I could not hold back my tears. Seeing me with tears all the runners were in tears. I told them that our mission will continue and said bye to them all. Their train started at 6am and leaving me in Mumbai, they all left for the place where we belong.

 

The project Run with Roshni was a grant success. Thanks to all my friends, who helped me to make it possible.  Thanks to all my Landmark Coaches and community without which Run with Roshni would not be possible. If my SELP project could bring so much of transformation, how would be the transformation, if all the youths of India do the Landmark Curriculam?

Thanks to Bhagwan Sri Satya Sai Baba, who is everything for me.