Over 600 students and staff members from Shoolini University participated in the Shoolini University’s 11th Marathon, dedicated to Drug-Free India. The event was inaugurated by Solan Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Manmohan Sharma.
Originally planned for September 5 to coincide with Teachers' Day, the marathon was rescheduled due to adverse weather conditions and was instead held on Hindi Divas, adding a cultural element to the event. The flag-off ceremony was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Mr. Ajay Kumar Yadav, Chancellor Prof. P.K. Khosla, and the Chairperson of Shoolini Institute of Life Sciences and Business Management (SILB), Mrs. Saroj Khosla.
The marathon started at Thodo Ground and featured two courses: a 10-kilometer route for female participants ending at Zero Point, and a 15-kilometer route for male participants, culminating at the Milkha Singh Stadium Shoolini University.
To ensure the safety of all participants, the event included several precautions. Traffic police monitored the marathon route, two ambulances were on standby for emergencies, and four water stations along with two first aid points were set up.
At the prize distribution ceremony presided over by Prof. Khosla, Shalija (MBA) emerged as the top female runner with a time of 42:43:46 minutes, followed by Jenifer (B.Com Hons) and Apoorva (MBA). In the men's category, Le'andre (BTech Biotech) clinched first place with a time of 51:25 minutes, while David (BTech Biotech) and Anash (MBA) secured the second and third spots respectively. The winners were awarded cash prizes of ₹2500 for first place, ₹2000 for second, and ₹1500 for third in both categories.
The marathon’s success was attributed to the efforts of Associate Dean of Student Welfare, Dr. Neeraj Gandotra and his team, Head of the Sports Department Mr. Vikrant Chauhan, and Brigadier Sunil Mehta, Director of Operations at the university.