Maharashtra woman runs marathon barefoot to fund daughters' education, wins it

Ramabai Ranveer from Maharashtra's Beed district won the Amrit Daud marathon after running barefoot in a saree. She said the Rs 3,000 prize money would go towards buying books for her daughters.Maharashtra woman runs marathon barefoot to fund daughters’ educationA 47-year-old woman from Maharashtra’s Beed district ran barefoot in a marathon and secured first place, with the prize money set to help fund her daughters’ education.Ramabai Ranveer, a resident of Ambajogai, works as a cook at an academy in the town. She was left with the responsibility of raising her two daughters after her husband died in an accident in Mumbai. Despite financial difficulties, she was determined to ensure that both daughters received a good education.To support them, Ramabai enrolled her elder daughter at an academy in Ambajogai and took up work there as a cook. Her daily routine involves preparing meals while her daughters continue their studies and prepare for competitive exams.In the meantime, a local organisation held the Amrit Daud marathon, with a first prize of Rs 3,000. Ramabai decided to participate. Dressed in a simple saree and standing among younger runners in tracksuits, Ramabai initially wore slippers for the race. However, they began slipping shortly after the race started. She took them off, held them in her hand and continued running barefoot.She ran over the cold road and stones, while also managing her saree as she pushed ahead of the other participants. Ramabai eventually crossed the finish line first, leaving spectators cheering and applauding her determination. Speaking about her victory, Ramabai said there were many women participating in the race, but she was determined to win the prize. She said she could see her daughters’ future while running and planned to use the Rs 3,000 prize money to buy books for them.Her daughter Pooja also participated in the race and finished second. Pooja said she had encouraged her mother to take part but did not expect her to finish first.Pooja said her mother had raised the sisters despite difficult circumstances and never gave up. She is currently preparing for police recruitment and dreams of becoming a police officer. Her sister is preparing for banking examinations.The family had earlier depended on agricultural work, while Ramabai took up cooking at the academy to support her daughters. Seeing Pooja’s dedication, the academy director also waived her fees.For Ramabai Ranveer, the marathon victory was more than a race. After spending her days working in the kitchen to support her daughters’ education, she ran barefoot to win money that could help pay for their books.- Ends(With inputs from Rohidas Lahudas Hatagale)Published On: Aug 31, 2026 18:59 IST