New Delhi: The 20th edition of the Delhi Half Marathon, which had 40,500 runners take part in the event in the National Capital on Sunday, October 12, 2025, has reportedly raised INR 4.12 Cr for 16 social causes, the organisers announced on Friday.
This milestone 2025 edition was not just a celebration of fitness but also of collective social good and social impact. With the support of Philanthropy Partner Lakshyaa, over INR 4.12 crore was raised for various social causes by NGOs, fundraisers, corporates, and runners.
Over two decades, the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon has become one of India’s largest sporting platforms for philanthropy, raising more than INR 88.63 crore so far, reaffirming the race’s legacy of driving social change through sport.
Speaking about this year’s edition, Nikhil Pant, Founder, Lakshyaa, said, “Over the last three decades, I have had the privilege of working at the intersection of policy, purpose, and people; helping shape the evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India and building bridges between governments, corporates, and communities. At the heart of this journey lies a simple belief: real change happens when passion is channelled with intent. That belief found new meaning this year as Lakshyaa partnered as the Philanthropy Partner for the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2025.
“For us, this association symbolises the power of collective will. Much like distance running, development work demands perseverance, teamwork, and commitment to progress. Both are about pushing boundaries, testing resilience, and moving forward,” he added.
Corporations, NGOs, individuals, and runners, together, embodied what Lakshyaa stands for: turning intent into impact. Through this partnership, Lakshyaa worked to amplify the voice of the social sector — supporting NGOs in their fundraising efforts, helping corporates align their initiatives with meaningful causes, and inspiring runners to view their strides as steps toward a more inclusive and equitable future.
Strengthening the philanthropy pillar of the event were the efforts of the title sponsor, Vedanta, through its flagship social impact initiative, #RunForZeroHunger under Nand Ghar. Over the last three editions, the campaign has enabled the distribution of nearly 20 million nutritious meals to communities in need.
For the 2025 edition, Vedanta extended this impact further by distributing 5 million Poshan Packs corresponding to 5 million kilometres run. The initiative also broadened its scope of care to include animal welfare through The Animal Care Organisation (TACO), embodying Vedanta’s holistic philosophy of nurturing all forms of life under the principle of ‘One Health’.
As a cause-neutral platform, NGOs supported multiple causes – ranging from early childcare and development, education and youth success, health and well-being, financial stability, environment and sustainability, disaster response and preparedness, and diversity and inclusion. While fundraising is one aspect, the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon also provided the partnering NGOs with a platform to initiate dialogue on issues of shared importance.
With sustainability as the keystone, more corporate houses are now investing in social good through these charities year after year. This year, 15 corporations with 1,077 employees and 2,716 individuals, including donors, came together to champion various social causes.
Shreepad Shende, Chief Marketing Officer, IDFC FIRST Bank, said, “The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon stands for the spirit of togetherness and giving back.
To ensure transparency and accountability, each year, the Delhi Half Marathon unveils a Philanthropy Docket that captures details on all the funds raised for that year. This year, the docket was unveiled in the presence of eminent partners and dignitaries.
(IANS)
