Launched in 2012 in Mumbai by actor, entrepreneur and fitness advocate Milind Soman, Pinkathon has grown into a nationwide movement empowering women through sport. Over the years, it has reached more than half a million women, facilitated free breast screenings for thousands, raised over ₹1 crore for underprivileged cancer patients, and built a strong community of ambassadors across India. With Zydus’ preventive-first approach powering its mission, the Pinkathon 2025–26 season continues across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, and Delhi.
This year in Hyderabad, the run proudly celebrates a diverse and inspiring group of mascots who embody strength, resilience, and the spirit of community running. Leading the lineup is Poonam Metta, representing the 100K category, followed by Devyani Haldar for the 75K and Leena Roy for the 50K distance. The event also honours Mardaku Anitha, a visually impaired runner symbolizing the 10K category, and Sarita Sarkar, a cancer survivor representing the Lifelong 5K run. Preety Khanna, a dedicated babywearing mother, stands as the mascot for the 3K category. Together, these remarkable women reflect the run’s ethos of inclusivity and courage. With categories ranging from 3 km, Lifelong 5 km, 10 km, all the way up to ultradistances, the event encourages participation from both first-time runners and seasoned athletes, making it a true celebration of endurance, empowerment, and community spirit.
Addressing the media at the Hyderabad press conference, Milind Soman, Founder of Pinkathon, said, “Pinkathon is a celebration of women choosing themselves — their health, their fitness, and their wellbeing. Hyderabad has always shown tremendous spirit and support, and this edition gives us another opportunity to amplify conversations around breast cancer. With the partnership of Zydus, we continue our commitment to ensuring that every woman understands the critical importance of early detection and self-care.”
This year’s Hyderabad announcement also spotlighted the growing presence of Invincible Women, an initiative founded by Ankita Konwar to support endurance running for women. Speaking at the event, Ankita Konwar said, “Pinkathon has always been a safe and empowering space for women from every walk of life. Invincible Women is about pushing boundaries and proving to ourselves that we are capable of more than we think. With Zydus joining hands in this mission, we hope to inspire women across Hyderabad to prioritise their health, learn the importance of self-examination, and show up for themselves.”
Built on pillars of women’s health, empowerment, and inspiration, Pinkathon’s 2025–26 edition aligns strongly with Zydus’ belief in preventive healthcare. Through its Easiest Exam campaign, Zydus encourages women to adopt a simple three-minute monthly breast self-exam — a critical step in improving early detection in a country where lakhs of women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
At the Hyderabad announcement, Dr. Mohana Vamsy, Surgical Oncologist, said, “Breast cancer still ranks as one of the major cancers that are common in women, and it is indeed unfortunate that a large number of cases are still identified at the late stages. The result of a check that takes not more than three minutes and is done once every month is what would change the face of the outcomes in a great measure. It is therefore very important to have such events as Pinkathon, which provides education to women, makes them comfortable with the issue and thus, making it possible for them to go to the clinic early if they want a test, in the end, giving chances to live.”
Speaking on this, Dr. Sharvil Patel, Managing Director, Zydus Lifesciences Ltd said, “With the Easiest Exam campaign, we seek to empower women with the knowledge that a simple 3-minute self-examination each month can make a life-saving difference. Joining hands with Pinkathon, we aim to reach many more women, raise awareness, and inspire collective action in the fight against breast cancer. We believe that raising awareness on women’s health and Breast cancer remains equally vital, as early detection has the power to save countless lives.”
Over the years, Pinkathon has pioneered inclusive and community-driven formats such as the Saree Run, Grandmothers 10K, Babywearing Mothers Walk, Midnight Fearless Run, and more. These engaging initiatives will continue across Hyderabad in the lead-up to race day, encouraging new participants to join the movement and building momentum for the main run.
Together with Zydus Lifesciences and Invincible Women, Pinkathon continues to grow as a powerful platform uniting fitness, awareness, and solidarity to empower women and fight breast cancer across India.
The event was supported by an esteemed line-up of partners whose contributions added immense value to the initiative. Zydus joined as the Title Partner, while Healthy Master came on board as the Healthy Snacking Partner. Lotus Herbal strengthened the cause as the Sunscreen Partner, and Lifelong supported the fitness-driven spirit as the Fitness Partner. Sirona contributed as the Hygiene Partner, and Park Hyatt extended its association as the Hospitality Partner. Fujifilm further amplified awareness as the Breast Health Partner. The event was supported by SAI and FIT India, with Inc 5 partnering as the Gifting Partner. The initiative was executed by STE, whose efforts ensured a seamless and impactful experience for all participants.
Abput Pinkathon – India’s Biggest Women’s Run
India's biggest women's run to encourage and promote fitness & health among women and create awareness for Breast Cancer and other issues relating to women’s health. The focus of India’s biggest women’s only running event is to encourage an active lifestyle and overall fitness amongst women while creating much-needed awareness about breast cancer and encouraging thousands of new or first-timer women to take up running.
About Zydus Lifesciences
Zydus Lifesciences Ltd. with an overarching purpose of empowering people with freedom to live healthier and more fulfilled lives, is an innovative, global lifesciences company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets a broad range of healthcare therapies. The group has a significant presence in cancer related therapies and offers a wide range of solutions with cytotoxic, supportive & targeted drugs. The group employs over 29,000 people worldwide, including 1,500 scientists engaged in R&D, and is driven by its mission to unlock new possibilities in lifesciences through quality healthcare solutions that impact lives. The group aspires to transform lives through path-breaking discoveries. For more details visit www.zyduslife.com
About Invincible Women:
Invincible Women an ultramarathon and health awareness event for women founded by Ankita Konwar to promote awareness of healthy lifestyles for women. Designed to encourage and inspire all women to address the issues that might be visible or invisible barriers to prioritizing their health.
About Smiling Tiger Experiences LLP
Founded in 2022 by Niraj Kshirsagar and Prashant Singh, Smiling Tiger Experiences LLP specializes in large-scale participatory sporting events across India, focusing on running and cycling events. Known for its seamless operations and participant-centred approach, the company is dedicated to elevating sporting events nationwide, fostering health, community, and unforgettable experiences.
