Conquering the World’s Highest Ultra Marathon – Empowering Girls Through Sports
Join Raj’s Mission- Run to Fly- as he plans to run 72km at the Khardung La Challenge to Fuel the Dreams of Girls in Sports
Every rupee you donate will be triple matched by Edrington — making your impact go three times further!
- Date: 12th September 2025
- Location: Khardung La Pass, Ladakh
Meet Raj Hosali
Raj Hosali, Area Manager – India at Edrington India Private Limited, thrives on leadership, growth, and impact. A proactive professional and a strong relationship-builder, Raj excels in fast-paced environments where challenges fuel innovation. But beyond work, Raj is a marathoner with a mission. His passion for long-distance running is grounded in discipline, purpose, and pushing limits.
Now, he’s taking on one of the highest endurance races in the world—the Khardung La Challenge, running 72 kilometers at extreme altitudes. And he’s doing it not just for the thrill—but for change.
The Race: Khardung La Challenge – Breathtaking, Bold, and Brutal
The Khardung La Challenge (72km) is the highest ultra-marathon in the world, one of the toughest endurance races. Set at the world’s highest motorable pass—17,982 ft (5,480m)—it tests the limits of even the fittest and most experienced athletes. The conditions are relentless, with nearly 60km of the race taking place above 4,000m (14,000 ft) in altitude. The marathon starts at 3 a.m. from Khardung Village and peaks at 17,982 ft (5,480m) before descending into Leh Town.
It’s a test of resilience, courage, and unshakable willpower—qualities Raj shares with the Girls he’s running for.
The Cause: Run to Fly – Empowering Girls Through Sports
Raj is running to raise funds for SwaTaleem Foundation’s Run to Fly program, which supports adolescent Girls from rural and marginalized communities in India—those in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs).
Through athletics, Run to Fly helps Girls:
🌟 Build confidence and leadership
🌟 Break social barriers and stereotypes
🌟 Discover their strength, speed, and voice
🌟 Access opportunities in education and beyond
In 2024, 24 Girls from KGBVs participated in a district-level competition. They brought home 11 medals. Imagine how far they can go—with your support.
SwaTaleem’s #RunToFly Program
At SwaTaleem, we believe in the power of sports to transform lives. Our #RunToFly program, launched in January 2023, is designed to equip adolescent girls in KGBVs, with sports training and regular exercise, supported by dedicated sports coordinators.
We are proud to partner with La-Ultra, one of the world’s most challenging ultra-marathons held in the high altitudes of Ladakh, under the leadership of Dr. Rajat Chauhan. Together, SwaTaleem and La-Ultra created a robust project aimed at encouraging girls to embrace running as a lifelong skill and to build vital life skills through this discipline.
This program currently operates in five KGBVs in the Mewat District of Haryana, a region with some of the lowest socioeconomic indicators in India. For instance, the girl dropout rate is 24.36%, and the mean age for marriage for girls in Mewat is the lowest in Haryana.
To kickstart our initiative, we organized Kasturba Sangam—an inter-school sports competition held in February 2023. This event brought together Girls, district officials, and Teachers, laying the groundwork for our running intervention in the district.
