Mumbai runner and cardiac survivor Nihar Mehta is all set to run the 21km at the Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) on January 18, 2026, to support the empowerment of girls and women in India through Maitrayana Charity Foundation. Maitrayana leverages the power of sport to empower women and girls to fulfil their potential.
Mehta, who lives in Santacruz, said, “I aim to raise funds for Maitrayana through this run, because I strongly believe there is a significant gender gap and discrimination in many areas of society, especially sport. Running the half-marathon at TMM in January 2025, I raised Rs 2,26,412.00. Next year, I am hoping to raise double that amount. I want to make a difference in the lives of these girls from underserved communities. Many of them do not have access to a sports field, or even if they do, they lack the money for basic sports equipment, such as good shoes. Funds mean closing that gap,” said Mehta.
A crash
What makes Mehta`s initiative remarkable is that Mehta himself is a cardiac patient. Mehta is part of Zipper Club, a Mumbai-based health and fitness support group for cardiac patients. Well-known running coach P Venkatraman explained, “I started Zipper Club in 2008. This is a fitness and training club with strong medical protocols to train heart patients in a safe environment.”
Soul and sole from Nihar Mehta. Pics/Atul Kamble
Said Mehta about his story, “I used to be an endurance cyclist and a high altitude trekker. On November 19, 2022, a cycling accident due to bad roads on the Eastern Express Highway took me to the casualty ward of the nearest hospital. While treating a hairline cervical fracture, during routine checks, it was discovered that I had a low ejection fraction of the heart.”
Mehta was fitted with an ICD, which stands for Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator. This is like a pacemaker, inserted into the body, just below the left shoulder, with two leads going into the heart. Mehta explained, “It is programmed as per age, cardiac condition, etc, and it monitors heart rate. The primary reason the decision was taken was as a precaution, as I knew I wouldn`t be living a sedentary life.”
Heart failure
Mehta explained, “My Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) was at 15 per cent, whereas the normal hearts are around 60 per cent, so my heart was functioning at 25 per cent of a normal heart. I was told that what is diagnosed is called Heart Failure due to Cardiomyopathy. As an endurance athlete, doctors were surprised that I had no visible symptoms. There was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode and cause a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) someday. So basically, the cycling crash was a catalyst, a ‘blessing’ in disguise, cause otherwise I would have never known and someday could have collapsed without any assistance in the golden hour!”
Fun run
Mehta, who has always seen the silver lining on thunderclouds, went from bicycle wheels to running heels. Mehta said, “Approximately three weeks after my procedure, there was a running event and I decided to join the fun, as it was during the rains, and I love the wet outdoors. I walked 10 km, but fell in love with the sport, especially due to the crowd support.” One event leading to another, and the runner said, “In 2025, before my second TMM half-marathon, I was introduced to the stirring work Maitrayana does. I, too, believed there was a gender gap and it needed to be closed. Being outdoors, claiming public space is a tool for empowerment. So, enabling girls to come out and play sports has been uplifting. I began my journey with Maitrayana,” concluded the brave runner who believes that a cycling crash gave him a chance, and now, through fundraising, he will give a chance to girls to achieve their sporting goals. That`s called support from the `heart` and `sole`.
Rs 2,26,412
Amount raised at TMM in Jan
Mehta’s fundraising Page link:
https://www.united waymumbai.org/fundraiser/ 24087 and click on donate.
