3 min readSrinagarJun 28, 2026 05:07 AM IST
First published on: Jun 27, 2026 at 04:53 PM IST
Away from the hustle of the city streets, the quiet roads of Baramulla are preparing for an unusual sight — hundreds of runners racing through the ancient town, its village orchards and paddy fields.
On Sunday, over 1,000 runners, men, women and children, are expected to participate in the ZoonRun, a marathon that attempts to make distance running a “rural movement” and encourage fitness beyond the valley’s urban centres. The brainchild of two childhood friends, Chandeep Singh and Tufail Anayat, the effort has gained mass traction and support, and is set to become the first marathon outside Srinagar.
“The objective of this run is to inculcate and celebrate community fitness,” says Singh. “It is an exercise in community inclusion in sports and a healthy lifestyle.”
The 21-kilometre run starts from Baramulla town and passes through the green fields of surrounding villages. (Credits: Shuaib Masoodi)
ZoonRun got its name from a failed attempt at a marathon by some young runners from Baramulla. “One day, we decided to have a run at night. It was going to be a full moon night and we called it Zoon Run (Zoon means moon in Kashmiri),” says Singh. “But as fate would have it, it rained heavily that night and we couldn’t go out for a run. It lingered on our minds till we came up with the idea of this marathon.”
Over 1,000 runners have registered for the marathon, including around 50 children below the age of 10. The run has been divided into four age categories and three distances – 21, 10 and 5 km. The 21-kilometre run, which starts from Baramulla town and passes through the green fields of surrounding villages, will be participated in by several top athletes from Jammu and Kashmir, including Hans Raj, Yahya Khan and Bhushan Singh. Air Force veteran and amputee S K S Kulbir will also participate.
“This is the first time I’m seeing a marathon organised outside Srinagar with local effort,” said professional athlete Hans Raj. “There are runners from outside the state who are participating in the event and it would go a long way in creating awareness and motivating people about fitness and lifestyle.”
The town of Baramulla is enthusiastic about the marathon, and people from all walks of life have come forward to help organise the event.
“It is a community event and our community has supported us in all ways possible,” says Tufail Anayat, one of the organisers. “You see, our co-sponsor is from Baramulla. All our sponsors are small-time businessmen from Baramulla, Sopore and surrounding areas. It is an effort by the community, for the community.”
The 21-kilometre run, starts from Baramulla town and passes through the green fields of surrounding villages. (Credits: Shuaib Masoodi) 
The 21-kilometre run starts from Baramulla town and passes through the green fields of surrounding villages. (Credits: Shuaib Masoodi)
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