Assam Rifles to host sixth half-marathon in Shillong on Nov 22, expects 4,000 runners
NEW DELHI: Assam Rifles will host the sixth edition of its half-marathon in Shillong on Nov 22, organisers said, billing it as the largest racing event in India’s northeast with prize money of 2.5 million rupees.
The Assam Rifles Half Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, Nov 22, on a route through Upper Shillong, according to a press release issued after a curtain-raiser at the Assam Rifles Liaison Office in Delhi Cantonment.
More than 4,000 runners are expected to participate across three categories – 5 km, 10 km and 21 km – open to participants aged 12 to above 60 years, organisers said. The total prize purse is 25 lakh rupees, which organisers said makes it one of the most lucrative running events in the region.
Several dignitaries from the government, armed forces and other walks of life are expected to attend, the statement said.
The jersey and finisher medal for the 2026 edition were unveiled at the Delhi event.
Launched in 2021 as a fitness initiative, the marathon has grown into a community event focused on unity and wellness, Assam Rifles said.
“The enhanced prize money reflects the force’s vision to make the marathon a premier sporting event in the region,” Col Apurva Bhatnagar, VSM, from HQ DG Assam Rifles, said at the curtain-raiser, adding the event is expected to surpass previous participation records.
The force said the marathon aims to promote wellness and camaraderie within the forces and among the public, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a fitter India.
Assam Rifles is India’s oldest paramilitary force and operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs with operational control of the Army, deployed extensively in the northeast.
