Srinagar, May 18: Indian-Australian endurance athlete Om Satija on Sunday completed his ambitious 5,000-kilometre “One India Run” campaign after reaching Srinagar, marking the culmination of a 110-day cross-country journey from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.
According to details available with news agency JKNS, 23-year-old Om Satija, originally from Melbourne, Australia, completed nearly 4,950 kilometres before concluding the run at Zabarwan Park in Srinagar.
Speaking after completing the historic run, Om said the main message of his journey was to inspire youth towards fitness, discipline and a meaningful life.
“Youth must stay away from drugs and negative activities. Fitness is very important not only for physical health but also for mental strength and confidence,” he said.
He said young people should dream big and work hard to bring positive change in society.
“This run was not just about endurance, it was about showing that with discipline, consistency and purpose, anything is possible,” Om added.
The initiative, titled “One India Run,” was launched to promote fitness, resilience, mental strength and social responsibility among youth while mobilising support for vulnerable communities.
Om averaged close to 50 kilometres per day during the journey and aims to become the first person to run along the east coast of India and the youngest athlete to run the length of the country.
The campaign is also raising funds for the Udayan Foundation, which works for children from marginalised and leprosy-affected communities. Organisers said the initiative aims to raise Rs 60 lakh to help educate nearly 1,000 children over the next five years.
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As per the organisers, nearly Rs 20 lakh has already been raised through public participation, community events and run club activations held in several cities, including Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Delhi and Ludhiana. (JKNS)
