Kolkata, December 3: The 10th edition of the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata — the world’s first World Athletics Gold Label 25K road race — returns with a landmark celebration of courage, discipline and community spirit. Promoted by Procam International, this year’s event will see 22 inspiring pacers guide thousands of runners on Sunday, December 21.
In a powerful showcase of diversity and transformation, the 10K will be led by an all-women squad of pacers, each bringing remarkable personal stories to the course. From overcoming physical challenges to balancing motherhood and demanding careers, these women represent a vibrant and evolved running culture in the city.
Among them is Roshni Guhathakurta, born with bilateral clubfoot and once dependent on major corrective surgery simply to walk. Today, she stands tall as a dedicated marathon and ultra runner, and will lead the 85-minute bus. Also leading from the front are entrepreneur Chanda Ahuja, heading the 75-minute pace group, and ophthalmologist and seasoned runner Dr. Saswati Biswas, who will guide the 60-minute bus.
The 25K field will be powered by the discipline and commitment of India’s Defence Forces. The fastest pacer in the category, Kolkata’s Manpreet Singh, heads the 2:00-hour bus, while New Delhi’s Kartikay Pandey — who transformed himself from 95 kg to 77 kg during the pandemic — will pace 2:05. Kargil War veteran and Comrades Marathon Bronze Medalist Bapai Bhattacharyya brings extraordinary grit to the lineup as he leads the 2:40-hour group.
“Pacing is a selfless act, and as we celebrate the 10th edition, our pacers truly reflect the heart and soul of this event. From the discipline of the Defence Forces to the inspiring all-women pacing squad, this year’s lineup stands for courage, diversity and community spirit,” said Vivek Singh, Jt. MD, Procam International.
Women 10K Pacers
Alina Goperma Sherpa – 58 min
Dr. Saswati Biswas – 60 min
Uma Devi Sharma – 65 min (Kalyani)
Jyoti Saboo – 70 min
Shobha Agarwal – 75 min
Chanda Ahuja – 75 min
Namrata Agarwal – 80 min
Roshni Guhathakurta – 85 min
Priyanti Dutta – 88 min (All pacers from Kolkata)
Defence Forces 25K Pacers
Manpreet Singh – 2:00 hrs (Kolkata)
Kartikay Pandey – 2:05 hrs (New Delhi)
Ram Mohan – 2:10 hrs (Punjab)
Ashish Dhingra – 2:15 hrs (New Delhi)
Gurmeet Raturi – 2:20 hrs (New Delhi)
Chanambam Ruhikanta Singh – 2:25 hrs (Kanpur)
Lalit Kumar Tiwari – 2:30 hrs (New Delhi)
Paramjeet Yadav – 2:35 hrs (Rewari)
Bapai Bhattacharyya – 2:40 hrs (Kolkata)
Gaurav Srivastav – 2:45 hrs (Lucknow)
Dr. Ratandeep Singh – 2:45 hrs (New Delhi)
Sanjeev Kumar – 2:50 hrs (Kolkata)
Vidyasagar Mehta – 2:55 hrs (New Delhi)
The Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata will be broadcast live on Sony Sports 1 and Sony Sports 1 HD from 5:30 AM onwards on December 21.
