Business challenges may be mounting for Anil Ambani. But that did not deter him from keeping his commitment to the Mumbai marathon. And he completed the 21 km half-marathon in an hour and 39 minutes, his personal best.
For some like him in the corporate world, it was a testimony
of tenacity. Others turned it into an opportunity to display goodwill, office camaraderie and commitment to fitness.
Anand Mahindra and Niranjan Hiranandani were among leaders from the 166 companies that participated in the corporate challenge category. Tata Consultancy Services head N Chandrasekaran, a regular fixture, was travelling, but 2,000 of his colleagues more than made up.
Tata Motors had 75 participants, while the Mahindra group had a 400-strong contingent and the RPG group, 300 employees.
"Most people who have run a marathon once get addicted to it," said Nixon Joseph, assistant general manager with the State Bank of India.
Joseph, 51, discovered the marathoner in him seven years ago while wading through water in a 4-hour struggle to reach home during the Mumbai flood. He has run 11 marathons across the world since.