SUMMIT REPORT, Gangtok 17 Feb:
A 462KM Run from Srinagar to Khardungla Top via Leh by four ultra-runners, Bhupendra Hang Subba, Basant Pradhan and Anup J Baniya from Sikkim and Luv Burman from Kolkata carried out from 15 to 22 September 2024 has been included in the India Book of Records as ‘Fastest to Cover Srinagar to Khardung La on Foot by a Group’.
The India Book of Records has certified their run for covering a distance of 462KMs in 8 days with a moving time of 66 hours.
This challenging run covered four mountain passes ranging from 11,000 ft to 17,000 ft, Zozila Pass [11,578 ft], Namkila Pass [12,139 ft], Fotu La Pass [13,479 ft] and Khardungla [17,582 ft]. It is informed that this route had never been attempted on foot before, setting a unique precedent for endurance running, while the other route from Manali to Leh has been popular among cyclist as well as runners.
The run was undertaken to raise awareness about the urgent need for environmental protection, which was backed by TERRE Policy Centre, a non-profit organization dedicated to Environment and Climate Change initiatives.
As a UN civil society partner with ECOSOC observer status, TERRE has planted 500,000 trees across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Haryana, and Tamil Nadu through its green initiatives. The organization’s awareness projects have reached grassroots levels through the Students Environment Olympiad and the Dr. Kalam Fellowship. TERRE has supported the ‘Run for Environment’ for the past three years, attracting over 20,000 runners to date.
Sharing their happiness on setting a record of their run in the prestigious India Book of Records, team members Bhupendra Hang Subba, Basant Pradhan and Anup J Baniya expressed that the acceptance of the team’s feet by the India Book of Records has boosted the morale of the team to undertake their next bigger challenge than this run. They shared that the quartet has been planning to cover twelve highest motorable passes located in India on foot and plans can further be enhanced to cover the motorable passes located outside India as well.
While sharing challenges of their run, they shared the team members covered on an average an ultra-distance for eight straight days and the challenge intensified significantly with increasing altitude and decreasing oxygen levels, chill and wet conditions. They expressed that generally moving to the high altitudes need organized acclimatization, however, the team acclimatized on the move which is yet again one of the highlights of the challenge.
This is not for the first time this quarter have come together for such a challenging ultra-run but this dedicated tough team has already covered many ultra-runs challenges including a run from Kolkata to Gangtok and another run from Gangtok to Gurudongmar.
“This is not the end but we have been taking up these challenges with a vision and this run was a small part of the bigger thing coming up in the future,” they said. while expressing their happiness on setting the record in the India Book of Records, they expressed their commitment to set bigger records to encourage more people.
