A Marathon with a Mission: Raising millions of Meals for All

Engaging in sports uplifts both the mind and body. Although when taken up for a meaningful cause, it creates a ripple effect that touches lives far beyond the finish line. This year, the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2024 (VDHM 2024), which concluded on October 20, embodied this transformative spirit. The marathon rallied the power of over 70,000 participants to raise a remarkable 10 million meals for the cause of #RunForZeroHunger. For every kilometer run, Vedanta pledged equal meals to nourish children and feed animals, through the company's social impact arm, Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF).

VDHM 2024 was memorable for many reasons. To begin with, this edition which marked Vedanta's third year of its association, saw record-breaking participation of over 36,000 runners. The event drew renowned celebrities like Milind Soman, RJ Naved, Gul Panag, Indian women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur, and Paris 2024 Olympics discus gold medalist Valarie Allman, who also served as the International Event Ambassador. Support also poured in from local cyclist groups, fitness clubs, and runners' associations across Delhi-NCR. An additional 36,000 community members of Vedanta comprising leadership, CXO, employees as well as Vedanta's business partners, participated through mini-marathons, walkathons, and activities via the StepSetGo app at Vedanta's 19 business locations.

In the previous two editions, the contribution of the runners led to the provision of 7 million meals to the children of Nand Ghar. Building on previous years' remarkable turnout, Vedanta pledged 10 million meals in this edition—doubling last year's contribution. This year's marathon embraced an additional purpose: under the 'One Health' approach, Vedanta extended its mission to nourish not only children but feed animals as well. The 'One Health' approach recognizes that the health of people on the planet is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. By incorporating animal care in this edition through AAF's animal welfare project The Animal Care Organization (TACO), Vedanta underscored its commitment to fostering harmony between humans and animals.

With the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon and #RunForZeroHunger, Vedanta and AAF have demonstrated the profound impact of combining sports with social responsibility. By tackling hunger, this year's event has directly supported the immediate needs of communities. And in extending this commitment to include animal welfare, AAF has further set a powerful example, advancing a vision of holistic health that extends across communities, species, and our shared environment.