Kolkata-born entrepreneur and explorer Ram Gopal Kothari has etched his name into history, becoming the first Indian to complete a full marathon at the Geographic North Pole, a challenge accomplished by only a select few worldwide.
The North Pole Marathon tests athletes on drifting sea ice above frigid Arctic waters, with temperatures averaging minus eight degrees Celsius, piercing winds, and the occasional presence of polar bears. Safety measures include an icebreaker ship, armed patrols, and a dedicated medical team.
Participants departed from Longyearbyen, Svalbard, aboard the French icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot, covering the 78°N to 90°N stretch amid dense sea ice and encounters with polar bears, seals, walruses, and blue whales.
Kothari, attempting his first full marathon, completed the first 21 kilometres in two hours and 45 minutes. Beyond the 28th kilometre, slushy melting ice soaked his shoes, causing nine muscle cramps and an injured toe. Yet he pressed on. “I was not just running on ice,” he said. “I was running on a promise, and on the belief that India has a place everywhere -- even at the top of the world.” He crossed the finish line in just over eight hours.
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His journey from modest beginnings in Burrabazar, Kolkata, to the world’s extremes reflects his indomitable spirit. Growing up in a two-room home with an asbestos roof, sharing a single toilet with his extended family, Kothari credits his parents for instilling the determination that fuelled his exploits.
A low point came in 2012 when financial losses and mental strain brought him close to despair. A call from his wife, Shipra, urging him to hold on for their children, became a turning point. Starting afresh with door-to-door insurance sales, Kothari gradually built an enterprise spanning five offices across India.
Adventure became central to his pursuits. From completing a half-marathon at the Tata Mumbai Marathon in 2018 to visiting all seven continents by 2022, Kothari has faced extreme conditions: staying in an igloo in Greenland, experiencing the Polar Night in Svalbard, visiting Yakutia, and skydiving in Spain. His explorations also include Mount Elbrus in Europe, Ushuaia in the south, and swimming with whale sharks and humpback whales in the Pacific.
Looking ahead, Kothari aims to complete the World Marathon Challenge of seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, summit the highest peaks on each continent, and visit 100 countries by 2027, having currently travelled to 70 nations.
The Chief Minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta, recently felicitated him at her residence in recognition of this extraordinary accomplishment.
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