J-K CM Omar Abdullah reviews preparations for upcoming Kashmir Marathon

Srinagar, Sep 8 (PTI) Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday chaired a meeting to review preparations for the upcoming Kashmir Marathon-2025, a flagship sporting event aimed at promoting sports, fitness, tourism, and Kashmir's vibrant culture.

The chief minister emphasised that the marathon must go beyond being a sporting event to become a holistic cultural and tourism experience.

He directed officials to tie up with hotels, restaurants, and local businesses to provide special packages for participants and visitors, allowing them to explore Kashmir's hospitality, cuisine and heritage during their stay.

Abdullah also suggested introducing 10 km and 5 km runs for local participants in addition to the full and half marathons, thereby expanding community engagement and encouraging youth participation.

Stressing the importance of sustainability, the chief minister called for efforts to secure a title sponsor for the mega event to ensure financial viability and greater brand visibility.

Taking into account the Delhi Marathon and Diwali festivities, Abdullah instructed that the Kashmir Marathon-2025 be scheduled on November 2 (Sunday), 2025, instead of October 19 as proposed earlier.

The director of Kashmir tourism briefed about the scale and structure of the event. The second edition will feature a full marathon (42.19 km), half marathon (21.09 km), and a 10 km run, covering iconic locations of Srinagar, including Poloview, Rajbagh, Lal Chowk, TRC, Nishat Garden, and SKICC, offering participants the autumn backdrops of Kashmir.

On the occasion, the chief minister launched the promotional video of Kashmir Marathon-2025 and was presented with his participation certificate from last year's edition, in which he completed the half-marathon.

Reiterating his government's commitment to the event, Abdullah said the marathon will be positioned as a world-class sporting spectacle that celebrates the Valley's beauty, promotes tourism, and fosters a spirit of health, wellness, and community togetherness.

The meeting was attended by Advisor to the CM, Nasir Aslam Wani; Additional Chief Secretary to the CM, Dheeraj Gupta; Additional Chief Secretary Tourism; Principal Secretary Finance; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Secretary IT, Information and GAD; and other senior officials, an official spokesman said. PTI MIJ MPL MPL