Defending champions Anish Thapa and Nirmaben Thakor lead the Indian challenge at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026

Mumbai, January 03, 2026: The 21st edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon, a World Athletics  Gold Label Race, will witness a dynamic mix of seasoned champions and emerging talent,  showcasing the depth and strength of Indian distance running from across the nation. All eyes will  be on defending champions Anish Thapa and Nirmaben Thakor as they return to centre stage,  set to defend their titles at Asia’s most prestigious marathon on Sunday, 18 January 2025. 

The top three finishers in the Indian Elite men’s and women’s categories will be awarded prize money of INR 5 lakh, INR 4 lakh, and INR 3 lakh, respectively. In addition, an event record bonus of INR 2 lakh is on offer, along with an Indian event record jackpot of INR 1 lakh. The current Indian event records are held by Nitendra Singh Rawat (2:15:48) in the men’s category and Sudha Singh (2:34:56) in the women’s category. 

The men’s elite field is led by Anish Thapa, who also claimed victory at the Hyderabad Marathon  2025, underlining his strong championship credentials. An experienced campaigner, Anish owns  a personal best of 2:16:41, set in Delhi in 2022. 

He will face stiff competition from Man Singh, the runner-up at Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025, who  boasts an impressive personal best of 2:13:25, achieved at the 2025 Valencia Marathon. Man  Singh is the third-fastest Indian marathoner of all time and the winner of the Asian Marathon  Championships 2024, making him one of the standout contenders. 

Adding further depth to the field is Srinu Bugatha, the two-time Tata Mumbai Marathon Champion  (2020 & 2024), who returns with proven pedigree on this course. He will be joined by Pradeep  Singh Chaudhary, who has been showing steady improvement on the domestic circuit and is  emerging as a strong challenger. 

The women’s elite field will see Nirmaben Thakor, set on securing a historic hat-trick of Tata  Mumbai Marathon titles. She will face strong competition from Jyoti Gawate, winner of the Tata  Mumbai Marathon 2011 and 2017 editions, who is set for a strong comeback. A decade earlier,  Lalita Babbar claimed three consecutive titles from 2012 to 2014, a feat Nirmaben will attempt to  emulate. 

Also in contention is Bhagirathi, a winner of marathons in Hyderabad and Delhi, arrives with a  personal best of 2:48:56 achieved in Delhi. Completing a competitive women’s line-up are Sonam,  a podium finisher at Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025, and Ashvini Madan Jadhav, who stands out as  one of the youngest athletes in the elite field.  

Vivek Singh, JT MD, Procam International, said, “The Tata Mumbai Marathon has always been  a definitive platform for Indian distance running, and the 21st edition once again underlines the  depth, resilience, and growing competitiveness of our elite athletes. With defending champions  returning, former winners back in contention, and a strong group of emerging runners stepping  up, the Indian elite field reflects how far the sport has progressed nationally. As a World Athletics  Gold Label Race, the Tata Mumbai Marathon continues to challenge Indian athletes to test  themselves against the highest benchmarks while giving them a stage that commands global  attention.”

This year’s race will feature 36 of the country’s top athletes, who will compete fiercely for the men’s  and women’s titles, comprising 23 men and 13 women athletes. 

Indian Elite Athletes for TMM 2026 

MEN:

WOMEN: