Despite the rain, the Jammu Marathon drew a large crowd

March 29, 2026

Jammu: To promote a drug-free lifestyle among youth, the 21-kilometer Jammu Half Marathon, the city’s first international marathon, was held on Sunday, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Bollywood stars, and several international athletes participating.

CM Omar Abdullah ran
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah flagged off the half marathon and also participated in the 21-kilometer race with the participants.

The event, jointly organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department and the Sports Council, included 21-kilometer, 10-kilometer, and 5-kilometer races, aimed at inspiring youth to adopt a drug-free lifestyle.

Celebrities spread the message of peace and fitness
Before the marathon, actor and model Milind Soman said, “This is exciting! It’s surprising that it’s raining—I’m sure it will be fun.” Bollywood actress Gul Panag said, “The message of every marathon is to promote running, but the agenda of this marathon is peace. I want to congratulate all the residents of Jammu.”

Jammu and Kashmir Minister Satish Sharma said, “This will promote tourism and send a message of brotherhood, as well as inspire people to stay healthy and fit.”

Enthusiasm not dampened despite the rain
J&K Sports Council Secretary Nuzhat Gul said that the biggest challenge was the rain, yet people still came, participated, and ran, while volunteers helped make the event a success.

Joint Director of the Tourism Department, Aijaz Qaiser, described the weather change as a minor hindrance to the event. He said that everything was fully prepared by 1 a.m., but the weather caused some problems in the morning.

He said, “Despite this, we started on time and sent all the runners on their routes…”

Qaiser said that the enthusiasm and passion of the people of Jammu, and the participation of national and international athletes, were extremely encouraging.

It is noteworthy that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah himself is a fitness enthusiast and despite his busy schedule, he prioritizes physical fitness whenever he gets time.

Jammu, J&K: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah participates in an international marathon held in Jammu pic.twitter.com/FdbX9fbgJe

— IANS (@ians_india) March 29, 2026