Running with the bulls (and bears)

MUMBAI: In the country’s financial capital, it is perhaps unsurprising that many well-known personalities from the capital market are serious runners too.

Taking a break from their daily tracking of market indices, the chiefs of prominent financial services firms aren’t just running the Mumbai Marathon themselves; many are leading teams and supporting causes as well.

The Mumbai Marathon has “brought a cultural transformation in Mumbai and is symbolic of the health-conscious attitude of the people today,” says Gagan Banga, vice-chairman and MD, Indiabulls Housing Finance, who will be running the full distance. He says that the company, to encourage the habit of running, started a fitness programme three years ago which rewards employees for weight loss or the number of steps walked, and is a title sponsor of Vasai Virar Mayor's Marathon.

The IIFL Group has around 60 employees running, led by MD and co-promoter R Venkataraman; they are supporting the Pratham Foundation as their cause.

Edelweiss Financial Services’ employees are running to raise ₹2.1 crore (the sum marks the compaby turning 21 this year) for eight NGOs. Rashesh Shah, chairman and CEO, who has run seven marathons and around 30 half-marathons is in the squad, “Occupational requirements made me travel a lot in the recent past,” he says, “so, I will take part in the half-marathon this year. Around 100 of our employees will also be running in various formats. We have in-house initiatives for our staffers to encourage sports.” The company's Edelhealth program provides assistance to employees in many forms including partly bearing the cost for registering for runs and in-house training sessions. It encourages the staffers to participate in other sports as well apart from running.

For Sundeep Sikka, CEO, Reliance Nippon Life Asset, it’s his fourth consecutive Mumbai marathon, and he is running with 17 colleagues.

“The best part about SCMM is that it has brought a culture of running and fitness to Mumbai,” he says. “ It is getting better organised over the years. Running is important as it teaches us a lot about team spirit and the best part is that everyone is a winner.” He says he has observed that many who start with the ‘Dream run’ (one of the categories in the event) eventually target the half-marathon distance.