Chhattisgarh: Abujhmad Half Peace Marathon To Kick Off On Jan 31

Raipur: The annual Abujhmad Half Peace Marathon 2026, which has of later gained popularity among the sports persons across the globe, is going to kick off in Narayanpur district under south Bastar in Chhattisgarh, on Saturday.

The mega sports event, covering 21 km in Abujhmad area, is scheduled to be participated by around 6,500 marathoners, including more than 100 international sprinters from abroad, a spokesman of the Chhattisgarh government said.

The event was conceived a decade ago to promote the scenic hilly terrain of Abujhmad, once considered an impregnable fort of Maoists, as a prime tourist destination of Bastar, nationally and internationally.

“The Abujhmad Half Peace Marathon is not merely a sporting event but a public campaign carrying the message of peace, unity and harmony. Through this initiative, a positive narrative is reaching areas that for long remained deprived of development and government outreach”, the spokesman said.

The event will be participated by the sprinters from different parts of the country and abroad as well as the local Abujmaria tribe, officials said.

Around 4,000 local tribal youths have registered their names to take part in the event.

In addition, 12 runners have registered in the quad run category.

The annual marathon event, launched a decade ago, is emerging as a catalyst for tourism, a platform to showcase local culture on the global stage and a symbol of a new era of peace and development in a region once deeply affected by extremism, the spokesman said.