Odia woman runs marathon in UK, wears Sambalpuri saree
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London: A UK-based Odia woman has left the community proud by running a 42.5 km marathon wearing a Sambalpuri handloom saree. 41-year-old Madhusmita Jena Das showed up in a stunning red saree paired with orange sneakers.
She completed the marathon in Manchester in 4.50 hours.
A Twitter user shared her photos and wrote, "An Odia living in Manchester, UK ran the UK's second largest Manchester Marathon 2023 wearing a Sambalpuri Saree! What a great gesture indeed. Loved her spirit! Sambalpur, you have a distinct inclusive cultural identity that arises from the strong association of the tribal and folk communities which have been coexisting for centuries. This is a tough phase. Let's keep up with peace and harmony."
"I was the only person to run the marathon wearing a saree. Running for such an extended period of time is in itself an uphill task but doing so in a saree is even more difficult. But I am happy I was able to complete the entire distance in 4.50 hours," she told The New Indian Express. "Many believe women cannot run wearing sarees but I proved them wrong by doing the task and draped a Sambalpuri handloom. I anyway wear sarees during summers in the UK," she added.
Her inspiration is her mother and grandmother who wore sarees every day in her childhood. Her family is from Kusupur village, around 30 km away from Kendrapara.
The official Twitter account of 'Friends of India Soc Intl UK' also shared a video of Madhusmita running comfortably wearing a saree while her friends and family are cheering for her. "Madhusmita Jena, an Indian living in Manchester, UK, comfortably runs the Manchester Marathon 2023 in a lovely Sambalpuri Saree. While proudly showcasing her Indian heritage, she also presents an inviting perspective on the quintessential #Indian attire," read the caption.
Jena has run several marathons and ultra-marathons across the world.
Many netizens lauded her for showcasing the rich heritage of Odisha but others said running in a saree is a difficult task. Most people congratulated her for making the Odia community proud.