Ladakh Police’s Nawang Tsering wins the gruelling 122-km Silk Route Ultra in 12 hours, 12 minutes and 18 seconds, pocketing ₹5 lakh
BY PC Bureau
September 11: Ladakh’s unforgiving high-altitude terrain tested hundreds of endurance runners this week as Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena presented medals to winners of the Silk Route Ultra and Khardung La Challenge, the two marquee ultra races of the 13th Ladakh Marathon.
A total of 477 runners competed in the 122-km Silk Route Ultra and the 72-km Khardung La Challenge. The latter takes participants towards Khardung La at an altitude of 17,982 feet.
Nawang Tsering of the Ladakh Police emerged winner of the 122-km Silk Route Ultra, completing the course in 12 hours, 12 minutes and 18 seconds. He received the top prize of ₹5 lakh.
Suraj Meena of Rajasthan finished second and won ₹3.5 lakh, while Rigzin Gyurmeth of 2 Ladakh Scouts came third and received ₹2.25 lakh.
In the 72-km Khardung La Challenge, Jigmet Stobdan of the Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre (LSRC) secured first place and a prize of ₹2.75 lakh. His LSRC teammate Shabbir Hussain finished second with ₹2 lakh, while Singay Angchuk of 2 Ladakh Scouts stood third and received ₹1.75 lakh.
The 13th Ladakh Marathon, being held from September 10 to 13, has attracted around 7,500 runners from 28 states and six Union Territories. Organisers said international participation is expected from all six inhabited continents. More than 3,000 family members have also travelled to Leh for the event.
Gave away medals to the proud winners of the prestigious “Silk Route Ultra” and “Khardung La Challenge” at the 13th #LadakhMarathon 2026 today. This isn’t merely a global race; it is a pure adventure, where every breath tests the endurance of the participants.
And beyond a test… pic.twitter.com/IDNWJ4occE
— LG Ladakh (@lg_ladakh) September 11, 2026
Launched in 2012, the Ladakh Marathon is recognised as the world’s highest AIMS-certified marathon. This year’s event carries a record prize purse of ₹1 crore, the highest in its history.
The marathon is also providing a significant boost to the local economy. Officials estimated that the event generated more than 70,000 bed nights and contributed around ₹40–47 crore directly to the local economy, benefiting hotels, homestays, guesthouses, taxi operators, restaurants, guides, artisans and other small businesses.
Congratulating the winners and participants, Saxena praised their determination in tackling some of the country’s most demanding endurance courses.
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He said the growing popularity of the ultra races demonstrated Ladakh’s potential as a destination for high-altitude sports and adventure tourism, with its mountains, valleys and extreme terrain providing a unique setting for endurance events.
Saxena described the marathon as an example of responsible tourism, arguing that sporting events can create local livelihoods while protecting Ladakh’s fragile environment. He linked the approach to the sustainable tourism model advocated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Lieutenant Governor also thanked the organisers, volunteers, local communities, medical teams, security personnel and government departments involved in conducting the event.
He highlighted the marathon’s zero-single-use-plastic policy and the participation of local schools and communities in environmental initiatives, stressing that the growth of sports and adventure tourism must go hand in hand with ecological responsibility.
