Delhi Marathon: Harmanjot Singh Leads 42 Indian Runners
Harmanjot Singh, Lili Das to Lead Indian Runners at Delhi Half Marathon
Harmanjot Singh and Lili Das will lead the Indian elite field at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon on 18 October, when 42 Indian runners take part in the 21st edition of the international road race.
The event, promoted by Procam International, holds World Athletics Gold Label Road Race status. The Indian contingent includes 22 men and 20 women, with runners competing for national honours and prize money against a strong field of distance athletes.
Harmanjot enters the race after a successful year on the Indian athletics circuit. He won the Indian elite men’s title at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2026 and claimed silver at the 2026 Asian Cross Country Championships. Delhi will mark his first appearance at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon.
His personal best over the half marathon distance is 1 hour, 1 minute and 46 seconds, recorded at the Alwar Tiger International Half Marathon. This is the fastest personal best among the Indian elite runners named for the Delhi event.
“Winning in Bengaluru and taking silver at the Asian Cross Country this year has given me a lot of confidence going into Delhi. The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon is one of the toughest races in the country, with a field that pushes you to your limit, and I am looking forward to testing myself against the best elite runners over the half marathon distance. I will give it everything on race day,” said Harmanjot Singh.
Kiran Matre will also seek a strong result. He finished second among the Indian elite men at the 2025 Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, where he set his half marathon personal best of 1:04:57. Matre has also won the Indian elite men’s race at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru, taking the title in 2024 with a personal best of 29:32.
The men’s field includes Dr Kartik Karkera, winner of the Indian elite men’s race at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026. He finished third at last year’s Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, giving him previous experience of competing for a top position on the same course.
Prince Kumar of Uttar Pradesh is another name to watch. Returning to the half marathon circuit after a long break, he arrives with strong track credentials. He won both the 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the 2025 Open National Athletics Championships and secured gold in the 5,000m at the 2025 South Asian Athletics Championships. The move to the half marathon will test his ability to carry that form over a longer distance.
The women’s contest will feature two familiar names. Lili Das won the Indian elite women’s title in 2024, while Kavita Yadav took the honours in 2023. Both will be aiming for another podium finish at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where the half marathon starts and ends.
Ankita Dhyani will provide a strong challenge. The Olympic and World Championship steeplechaser made her half marathon debut in 2025 and finished fifth among the Indian elite women. Her participation adds an athlete with experience in international competition to a field led by previous Delhi winners.
Priti Lamba, the bronze medallist in the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2023 Asian Games, will also compete. Her experience at major championships gives her a strong background for the road race.
The half marathon covers 21.097 kilometres. Athletes must manage their pace and energy over the distance, making endurance and race planning as important as speed. Runners moving from track events to road racing also face the task of maintaining a steady effort for much longer than a typical track race.
Procam International has announced PRIDE, short for Procam Rewards for Indian Distance Elites, alongside the 2026 race. The scheme is intended to recognise Indian elite distance runners through rewards linked to performance. It will apply to all verified Indian elite distance athletes registering for Procam International events.
The organisers say the scheme will offer transparent, performance-based benefits. Its wider effect will depend on how the rewards are applied and how much support athletes receive through the programme.
Prize money remains a direct incentive at the Delhi event. In both the men’s and women’s Indian elite categories, the winner will receive ₹3,50,000, the runner-up ₹2,50,000 and the third-place finisher ₹1,50,000. An extra ₹1,00,000 will go to an athlete who sets a new Indian elite record at the event.
The existing men’s Indian elite record is 60 minutes and 30 seconds, set by Avinash Sable in 2020. The women’s record stands at 70 minutes and 31 seconds, achieved by L. Suriya in 2017. Both marks have stood for several years, giving the Indian athletes clear targets to pursue.
For the first time, the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon will be streamed live on YouTube. Coverage is scheduled to begin at 5 am on Sunday, 18 October, on the Procam International channel. The broadcast will give viewers who cannot attend in person an opportunity to follow the racing.
The event’s 21st edition brings together athletes with different backgrounds, from track champions and international medallists to established road runners. For Harmanjot Singh, it will be a first test at Delhi over the half marathon distance. For Lili Das and Kavita Yadav, the race offers another chance to challenge for the Indian women’s title.
Their results will be decided on race day, with the records, prize money and the new PRIDE scheme adding further points of interest to the competition.
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