Mumbai: A 47-year-old mother from Maharashtra’s Beed district won a marathon after running barefoot in a sari, driven by a desire to support her daughter’s education. Ramabai Ranveer finished first in the Amrit Daud marathon in Ambajogai and plans to use the ₹3,000 prize money for her daughter’s studies.
The race was organised as part of the Amrit Mahotsav celebrations of the Kholeshwar Educational Complex of Bharatiya Shikshan Prasarak Sanstha. Starting at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk and ending at Bhagyanagar Chowk, the event drew several young participants.
Ramabai initially ran in shoes, but they began to slip and slowed her down. Refusing to give up, she removed them, carried them in her hand and continued barefoot despite stones and other obstacles on the road.
Running while managing her sari, she overtook several younger competitors, many of whom were wearing sports shoes and tracksuits. She eventually crossed the finish line first, turning an ordinary community marathon into a remarkable display of determination.
Her unexpected victory drew loud applause from spectators and organisers, while her decision to dedicate the prize money to her daughter’s education added an especially poignant dimension to the achievement.