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TCS Sports Sponsorships: Blending Sports Technology and Sustainability
Highlights
- Over 59,000 people participated in the nineteenth Tata Mumbai Marathon, held on January 21, 2024.
- The marathon app, created by joint title sponsor Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), was downloaded over 21,000 times.
- The event collectively pulled in INR 58 crore for as many as 267 non-governmental organizations.
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It’s race day in Mumbai!
Now in its nineteenth year, the Tata Mumbai Marathon saw 59,000 people run for a cause, run for fitness, and run for the sheer love of running.
Runners descended on Mumbai from across the country as they set their sights on the finishing line across various categories—the Full Marathon (42 km), the Half Marathon (21km), the 10K, the Dream Run, the Senior Citizens’ run, the Champions with Disability run, and the Virtual Run (facilitated through the TCS-powered marathon app). With over 21,000 downloads, the app is testimony to the fact that sports and technology have a real synergy going.
Citizens, celebrities, community
Olympic champions Katie Moon and Meb Keflezighi flagged off the competition as international ambassadors for the event.
As many as 56,000 runners give it their all to make it to the finish line, while 3,000 ran virtually via the app.
“The Tata Mumbai Marathon is not just a run. It brings the community together,” said Meb, who not only holds an Olympic silver medal, but also has the unique distinction of having aced the TCS New York City and Boston marathons.
Moon called out running for its innate equalizing and democratic spirit. “The thing that I love about the marathon is that you have the elites and the people who started running two months ago, together. You don’t see that in any other sport,” the Olympic gold medalist and pole-vaulting champion said.
Aberash Minesewo from Ethiopia won her maiden marathon in the elite women’s category, while Hayle Lemi Berhanu, also from Ethiopia, defended the men's title. Srinu Bugatha and Nirman Thakor were the top Indian finishers.
Over 1,600 TCS employees competed at the event as families, friends, and fans cheered at every milestone along the way.
On Course: Runners hit the streets at the 2024 Tata Mumbai Marathon.
Everyone’s a winner
“The vibe’s contagious,” a runner said.
Other seasoned athletes spoke of the electric energy that underlined Race Day as the reason for their return year after year. Many said the exuberance truly helped them soak in the spirit of Mumbai—a city that’s always on the move.
Runner Bhanu Pratap described the Tata Mumbai Marathon as the grandest (marathon) event, something he looked forward to year after year.
Supadu Patel, 67, a podium finisher in the past, was only too glad to be part of the 2024 senior citizens’ race and couldn’t get over the ambience across the city that Sunday morning.
Another runner, Deepika Rao, called it a “great carnival”, adding that she didn't mind a “good addiction”. Running had helped her become a better version of herself, she said.
The Tata Mumbai Marathon is not only a celebration of humanity, but also community, health, and wellness. It’s about getting our employees and clients healthier and fitter.
The Green Bib initiative
Going beyond energy and agility, TMM 2024 also showcased a commitment to standing for the planet.
The ‘Green Bib’ initiative, introduced in the 2024 marathon, saw some runners sport bibs that were a fluorescent green as a mark of support for an agro-forest initiative.
Running for the Planet: Runners sporting green bibs race toward the finish line.
The Green Bib program is designed to facilitate donorship toward not just the planting of trees, but also ensuring the growth of the saplings into full-fledged plants over a three-year span. And in true Tata spirit, philanthropy was a cornerstone at this year’s event as well, with INR 58 crore being collectively raised for as many as 267 non-profit organizations in India.
The 2024 Tata Mumbai Marathon, authentic to its history and essence, was a celebration of community, compassion, and the courage to push one’s inner boundaries to make it to the finish line.