Marking its much-awaited return after seven years, the Zydus Pinkathon Chennai brought together over 3000 women at Island Grounds on Sunday, celebrating the city’s vibrant running culture while reinforcing the importance of women’s health, fitness and preventive care. The event featured race categories ranging from 3 km, Lifelong 5 km and 10 km to ultra-distance events of 50 km, 75 km, 100 km and the 100 km relay, welcoming participants across age groups, abilities and fitness levels.
The Chennai edition reflected the diversity that has become synonymous with Zydus Pinkathon. Participants included first-time runners, seasoned endurance athletes, cancer survivors, visually impaired runners, babywearing mothers and senior citizens, demonstrating that fitness is accessible to women at every stage of life.
Another moving highlight of the event was the hair donation initiative, where several women volunteered to donate their hair for cancer patients. Pinkathon Founder Milind Soman personally cut their hair on stage, with the donated hair set to be used to create wigs for cancer patients, reinforcing the movement’s long-standing commitment to breast cancer awareness, survivor support and women’s well-being.
Adding to the spirit of the event was an inspiring line-up of category mascots. Zoha Sanofer, a babywearing mother, represented the 3 km category, while Nandita Muralidhar, a cancer survivor, led the Lifelong 5 km run. Gaytheri M., a visually impaired runner, represented the 10 km category, Geetha Manichandar (65) inspired participants in the 50 km category, Deborah Sushma Lall, a working professional, represented the 75 km distance, and Latha Ravichander led the 100 km category. Together, they embodied the resilience, courage and determination that define the Zydus Pinkathon movement.
Speaking after the event, Milind Soman, Founder, Pinkathon, said: “Returning to Chennai after seven years and witnessing such an overwhelming response has been incredibly special. What stood out today was not just the number of women who participated, but the diversity of journeys they represented from first-time runners to ultra-distance athletes, young mothers, cancer survivors and visually impaired runners. This is exactly what Zydus Pinkathon has always stood for: creating an inclusive platform where every woman feels empowered to take charge of her health.”
Held under the title partnership of Zydus Lifesciences, the event continued to amplify awareness around preventive healthcare through The Easiest Exam campaign, encouraging women to adopt regular self-breast examinations as a simple yet effective step towards the early detection of breast cancer.
Speaking on the initiative, Spokesperson, Zydus Lifesciences, said: “The scale of participation witnessed today reflects the growing importance women are placing on their health and well-being. Through The Easiest Exam campaign, we hope to continue encouraging women to make preventive healthcare a regular habit. By combining community participation with health awareness, Zydus Pinkathon is helping transform conversations into meaningful action.”
Ankita Konwar, Founder, Invincible Women, added: “Today’s event showcased that every woman has her own fitness journey. Whether it was someone taking her very first steps in the 3 km category or completing an ultra-distance challenge, every achievement deserves to be celebrated. We hope Chennai’s incredible participation inspires many more women to discover the confidence that comes from choosing an active lifestyle.”
Echoing the movement’s growing impact on India’s fitness ecosystem, Shri Mayank Srivastav, Deputy Director General, Sports Authority of India, said: “Fitness movements create the greatest impact when they evolve into communities, and Pinkathon is a remarkable example of that. By bringing together women from diverse backgrounds to walk, run and embrace healthier lifestyles, Pinkathon is contributing meaningfully to the vision of a fitter India. The Sports Authority of India, along with the Fit India Mission, is proud to support this initiative and encourages more women to join this inspiring movement towards health, confidence and empowerment.”
