Ex-Roadie to run for Jaipur Foot

With his left leg amputated at age six, Manoj Rawat (34) had to use crutches to walk. When he turned 22, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Bhagwan Mahavir Sewa Samiti, provided him with a Jaipur foot, a rubber-based prosthetic, free of cost.

With his left leg amputated at age six, Manoj Rawat (34) had to use crutches to walk. When he turned 22, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Bhagwan Mahavir Sewa Samiti, provided him with a Jaipur foot, a rubber-based prosthetic, free of cost.

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Standing on his feet, Rawat learnt to cycle, swim, and even rappel and rock climb.

“A friend one day asked me to join him for a rock climbing expedition, and I did. I have already climbed eight to nine forts in Maharashtra alone, the last one being Naneghat,” Rawat said.

In 2004, he auditioned for MTV’s reality show, Roadies, and was part of Season 2. “This year, for Roadies 7, the channel has invited Roadies of the past seasons to come back and I am one of them,” he said.

Rawat, a sales executive for a finance firm, has participated in the marathon every year, a few times in the Dream Run and the last two years in the Half Marathon (21 km). “My timing last year was 3.5 hours,” he said.

This year, since he is running to raise funds for the Jaipur Foot organisation, he will participate in the Dream Run, because corporations aren’t allowed to participate in the Half Marathon.