Excitement is building for 22-year-old Krutika – a transgender person and an outreach worker with Lakshya Trust in Vadodara – who is set to run her first Vadodara Marathon on Sunday. What makes it even more special is that Krutika is among the 700 participants of the first-of-its-kind Gazra Run at the Marathon – a 5.5-km run to reinforce the spirit of inclusivity, women empowerment and mental health, under the aegis of Shree Maharani Chimnabai Stree Udyogalaya (SMCSU), run by Radhikaraje Gaekwad of the erstwhile royal family of Baroda.
As Krutika tries on the sunshine yellow T-shirt with the logo of Gazra run, she feels “prepared” for the sprint and to embrace the spirit with which the initiative has been planned. “When I heard about the Gazra Run, I knew I wanted to participate… The message of inclusivity of communities and celebrating oneness is significant. The community wants to be a part of the mainstream and having the opportunity to partake in such mainstream inclusive events is an important step.”
The Gazra Run has been announced as an Inclusivity Run under Project Gazra. Conceived as Gujarat’s first inclusive run, it brings together diverse communities across gender, ability, and identity. The initiative integrates mental health awareness, safety, dignity, and community support into the marathon experience, reinforcing the marathon’s commitment to inclusivity and collective well-being. The decision to include the Gazra Run as part of the Heritage Fun Run in this year’s Vadodara Marathon came about after a “meeting of minds” between Radhikaraje Gaekwad and city-based educationist and Vadodara Marathon Chairperson Tejal Amin.
Radhikaraje says, “The collaboration between VM and Gazra run is a purpose-driven partnership. This collaboration aims to ensure that SMCSU’s presence at the Vadodara Marathon is visible, inclusive, and impactful.” SMCSU also runs the Gazra cafe in the city, which is managed by members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The Gazra run will be separately flagged off on Sunday, as a part of the 13th edition of MG Vadodara Marathon, with the 700 participants being led by Radhikaraje at the run. All finishers of the Gazra run receive medals.
The Vadodara International Marathon is a certified race by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). In 2025, the 12th edition of the marathon marked MG Vadodara International Marathon as Asia’s largest non-metro marathon with record-breaking registrations.
A major attraction of the Vadodara Marathon this year will also be the “Jawan Run”, featuring personnel from the Police Force, Emergency Services, Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force, showcasing discipline, service, and patriotism.
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Amin said, “Our motto is – Sports, Cleanliness, Service and Sustainability. The marathon is not just a race but a movement for a greener and healthier future which has brought awareness for fitness in our city and we are happy to see the conscious citizens of Vadodara and the change in their lifestyle… Our goal is to create awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals among one lakh children in schools of Vadodara.”
Vadodara Marathon co-chairperson Sameer Khera said special emphasis is being placed on outstation and international runners. ‘The aim is to provide the best facilities to the runners through more medical booths, recovery zones and monitoring stations, along with comfortable accommodation arrangements for the runners coming from outside,” Khera said.
While the full marathon of 42 km and half marathon (21 km) will begin at 4:25 am, the 10-km timed run will begin at 6 am while the 5-km Heritage Run and the Divyang Paralympic Run will begin at 7 am and the Gazra run will begin at 7:30 am. A total prize money of Rs 25.06 lakh, including Rs 12.10 lakh prize money for the 42-km Full Marathon, will be handed over.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
