Running on ‘hope’: 33-year-old on countrywide run crosses Mumbai

Sufiya is on a countrywide expedition from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, covering 4,000km in 100 days, to promote a message of hope, equality and peace

A year after her record-breaking run along the Golden Triangle, Sufiya, 33, is taking on her next challenge: A countrywide expedition from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, covering 4,000km in 100 days, to promote a message of hope, equality and peace.

Sufiya during her run. (HT)

Last week, she was joined by various local runners’ groups, including Pinkathon, as she ran across the city till Lonavla. Cocky van Dam, impact manager at The Naz Foundation (India) trust, who joined Sufiya from Kalyan to Thane, said they created a human chain through Sufiya’s planned route in the city.

“As a runners’ group, we didn’t want Sufiya to run alone and wanted to accompany her when she passes by the city,” said Dam.

Sufiya, who began her journey on April 25 and completed 60 days of her run on Sunday, has now moved towards Satara. Last year, she quit her job as a duty officer at Air India to complete a 720-km run along the Golden Triangle route – Delhi, Agra and Jaipur – in 16 days.

When asked about what motivates her, she says she is running for “hope” – her campaign to promote “humanity, oneness, peace and equality”. “Today we see so much hatred and negativity in the world. As part of my campaign, I am reaching out to various local groups across the country through social media,” she said. Sufiya has also been speaking at various foundations and schools. “The response has been heartwarming wherever I have gone. When I was in Srinagar, army personnel cleared the path for me and served me nimbu paani. Some of the women called me home and served me breakfast. Although we couldn’t understand each other’s language, it felt warm,” she said.

However, the journey so far has not been without roadblocks. “Just after I began my run, my lungs collapsed owing to dust. I was admitted to a hospital in Jalandhar and so lost five days there. Despite the incident, I am aiming to complete the run in 90 days,” she said.