Project Udaan: Youth from Naxal-affected Gadchiroli participate in Mumbai Marathon 2025

The participants at the marathon. Pic/Gadchiroli Police

As part of the "Project Udaan" by the Gadchiroli Police, young athletes from the district participated in the Mumbai Marathon 2025 held on Sunday, the officials said.

According to an official statement by the Gadchiroli Police, the initiative has given the youth from Naxal-affected Gadchiroli, a district in Maharashtra known for its sensitive and remote areas, the opportunity to compete in a prestigious marathon event.

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The police have been actively promoting sports and physical activities among the youth, encouraging them to participate in various sports like Kabaddi, Volleyball, and Marathon. The main goal is to provide them with a platform to showcase their talents and gain recognition at state, national, and international levels, it said.

Through the Project Udaan, led by Superintendent of Police (SP) Gadchiroli, Neelotpal, and under the guidance of Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) M. Ramesh, as many as 25 young athletes from Gadchiroli, along with police officers, were selected to participate in the marathon. They trained intensively over a period of two months at the Police Headquarters, with the guidance of expert trainers. The training involved a rigorous physical regimen including long-distance running, strength exercises, and other physical activities designed to enhance endurance, the statement said.

The selected participants were chosen after a thorough selection process, which included trials from youth living in remote areas. The participants competed in various categories of the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025, including the full marathon (42 km), half marathon (21 km), and 10 km race, it said.

Among the participants, notable performers include M. Ramesh, Additional SP (Administration), and several police officers such as Vishwambar Karale, Ishwar Surwase, and many young athletes like Avinash Kando, Umash Muttami, and Mukesh Rapnaji, who participated in the 21 km category. Others like Amol Pote, Rohan Bhurse, Priyanka Oksha, and Sakhshi Polozwar also made notable performances in the 10 km and 21 km categories, the police said.

The participation of Gadchiroli's youth in the Tata Mumbai Marathon was a significant achievement, and it was made possible by the dedicated efforts of police officers and trainers, including Yatish Deshmukh (Additional SP, Operations), Shrenik Lodha (Additional SP, Aheri), and other police personnel involved in the selection, training, and logistics, it said.