The 19^th edition of Asia’s most prestigious Marathon event, the Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) which will be witnessing record participation of 59,000 athletes (2900 runners of whom will be participating virtually through the TMM app) from across the world on Sunday, 21st January, 2024,   has also set a new philanthropic record this time around.

Addressing the media on Tuesday the organiser Procamm and United Way Mumbai, the event's esteemed Philanthropy Partner announced that the philanthropy efforts once again showcased unprecedented achievement, as 267 NGOs collectively raised a record-breaking Rs. 58 crores, reaffirming its status as India's largest sporting platform for charity. The success of this endeavour is attributed to the collaborative efforts with United Way Mumbai (UWM), the event's esteemed Philanthropy Partner whose pivotal role has built capacities of partnering non-profits to raise funds and awareness for their projects. UWM on its part ensures a transparent, cause-neutral, level-playing field by providing a robust digital platform. Not only the Philanthropy Partner maximizes the fundraising opportunities of the limited running spots available at TMM but also distributes them equitably between the NGOs.

The evolution of philanthropy at TMM is remarkable, progressing from a cumulative total of INR  43 Lacs by 12 NGOs in the inaugural edition, to surpassing INR 400 crores today, benefiting over 750 NGOs.

George Aikara, CEO, United Way Mumbai, said, “I would like to congratulate all the participating NGOs for the remarkable philanthropic success of the Tata Mumbai Marathon. We have been the Philanthropy Partner of the TMM since 2009 and have witnessed the marathon's evolution into a strong catalyst of social impact. The participation of 12,000 individuals this year and a record-breaking fundraising effort, highlights the marathon's unique ability to engage and inspire. The funds and awareness raised through TMM will allow our NGO partners to lend a helping hand and make a lasting impact.”

Manisha Khemlani, who in her capacity as CEO, Central Chinmaya Mission Trust raised Rs. 7.6 crores in fact is the highest individual fundraiser in the history of the TMM and was well complemented by the efforts of her colleague Darshini Bhatt who too raised over INR 4.1 crores for the same Mission. In her address Khemlani said, “The secret sauce of my success is my family, my team. My mission is my family and being the CEO of the organisation, I am fortunate enough to be participating in raising funds for the marathon. We work to raise funds for education, starving children and more. Swami Chinmaya Ji, the founder, believed that a child spends a lot of time in school and the values that are given in school are very important. We have a four pillar system, we look at the physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual personality of the child. Interestingly, about 45% of our 82 schools are either in remote areas or in these two tier cities. Thanks to the support of the Tata Mumbai marathon and Procam who help us reach out to over 600 children with scholarships solely because of the awareness and the opportunity to raise funds. I'm very grateful to Procam International, United Way of Mumbai for giving us this opportunity to combine fitness and fundraising.”

The Mother-daughter duo of Dr. Meera Mehta and Dr. Bijal Mehta on the other hand both raised over Rs. 1 and Rs. 2 crores respectively with Ms. Villy Doctor, Shyam Jasani, Sunit Kothari, and Utppal Mehta, each raising over Rs. 1 crore.

Additionally, Rajkumar Jain and. Murlikrishnan too raised over INR 50 lakhs each. Under-21 Shaurya Banga on the other hand joined the elite list of fundraisers who raised over Rs. 50 lakhs for the noble cause.

As part of top-up donations, 3,365 runners chose to contribute beyond the participation fee, accumulating a substantial collection of INR 23 lakhs to benefit 49 NGOs. This philanthropic gesture not only reflects the benevolence of the running community but also amplifies the impact of the TMM beyond the race track.

This year as part of The Green Bib initiative, TMM and UWM have raised over Rs. 27 lakhs to plant through 4,371 trees. The TMM Green Bib is an initiative that allows runners to contribute to the plantation and maintenance of trees in the TMM Agro Forest. The donations have come from over 2,500 runners. This Agri-Horti initiative supports environmental sustainability, and augments farmer income, thru optimum utilisation of their existing acreage. For this pilot edition of the Green Bib, UWM has targeted the Solapur District of Maharashtra

 The 2024 edition also marks a historic turnout, featuring an unprecedented participation of more than 12,000 individuals actively running to champion diverse causes. Notably, nearly 10,000 of these participants hail from the corporate sector. The Mumbai Marathon solidified its position as the preferred event for India Inc., leveraging its distinctive capacity to involve employees, generate funds, and contribute significantly to philanthropy through CSR contributions. Remarkably, this segment alone has contributed an impressive sum exceeding Rs. 22 crores.

The heartbeat of TMM's philanthropic impact too lies in individuals creating awareness and fundraising for diverse causes. This year, 1100 individuals are actively raising funds for civic issues, culture, sports, education, environment, health, human rights, inclusion, and more. Notably, 151 individuals have raised over INR 1.75 lakh each to become ‘Change Runners’. 

Vivek Singh, Jt, MD, Procam International said, " At Tata Mumbai Marathon, runners have already collected over Rs. 58 crores, a feat that has never been achieved before race day. We are honoured to witness the spirit of sportsmanship and the philanthropic heartbeat of every runner who made this possible. TMM stands as a unique sporting platform, the only one of its kind, empowering participants to raise substantial funds, and making each step a stride towards positive change. At TMM, each year, more and more are choosing to run with purpose, with compassion, and together create a lasting positive impact on the world we co-habit. The same resonates with ‘# HarDilMumbai’ which is the tag line of this edition of TMM”