Hindustan Zinc Limited successfully hosted the third edition of the Vedanta Zinc City Half Marathon in Udaipur, with more than 9,700 runners participating across on-ground and virtual formats. The event recorded nearly 45% growth in participation compared with the previous edition.
Known as ‘India’s Most Beautiful Marathon’, the event brought together runners from 27 Indian states and six countries. Participants competed in the 21.097 km Half Marathon, 10 km and 5 km categories, while a special Champions Race saw participation from rural communities in Rajasthan, Udaipur and students associated with Shiksha Sambal, Hindustan Zinc’s education initiative. The event attracted professional athletes, experienced marathon runners, first-time participants, senior citizens, women’s fitness groups, corporate teams and specially-abled runners.
The races were flagged off by Manna Lal Rawat, Member of Parliament from Udaipur, along with senior government and police officials, including Gaurav Srivastav, IGP Udaipur Range, Gaurav Agarwal, Udaipur Collector, and Dr Amrita Duhan, SP Udaipur. Arun Misra, GCEO of Vedanta Group, Amarendu Prakash, CEO of Hindustan Zinc, and Dr Manoj Soni, Founder of Anybody Can Run, were also present.
The marathon was promoted by Anybody Can Run and carried the message of #RunForZeroHunger, linking fitness with a larger social purpose. The event also encouraged citizens to participate in the democratic process ahead of the municipal elections in Rajasthan. Thousands of Udaipur residents lined the route early in the morning to cheer the runners. The course passed through scenic parts of the city, with Fateh Sagar Lake and the Aravalli ranges forming the backdrop.
Mukesh Kumar won the men’s Half Marathon with a time of 1 hour, 8 minutes and 47 seconds. Pooja won the women’s category, finishing in 1 hour, 26 minutes and 9 seconds. In the 10 km race, Tehender won the men’s category in 32 minutes and 1 second, while Kumari Parru topped the women’s category with a time of 36 minutes and 49 seconds.
Each finisher received a special medal made from Hindustan Zinc’s 99.99% pure zinc, celebrating Udaipur’s long association with the metal. Certified by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races and listed on the global marathon calendar, the Vedanta Zinc City Half Marathon is becoming a major sporting event for Udaipur, bringing together fitness, tourism and community participation.
Hindustan Zinc, a Vedanta Group company, is the world’s largest integrated zinc producer and among the top 10 silver producers globally. It supplies products to more than 40 countries and has around 74% share of India’s primary zinc market. The company has also introduced EcoZen, Asia’s low-carbon green zinc brand produced using renewable energy.
