Kanyathon Celebrates 15 Years with 13,000+ Participants Across Bengaluru, Karjat & Pilani
Kanyathon 2026, India's largest student-led charity run, held its 15th edition across Bengaluru and Karjat, drawing over 13,000 runners, walkers, students, volunteers, and corporate partners, all gathered behind the cause of girls' education and empowerment. Nearly 10,000 participants joined the run in Bengaluru, over 2,000 in Karjat, and close to 1,000 runners participated at BITS Pilani, adding considerable weight to what has grown into a defining student-led movement. The event is planned and executed solely by students of IFIM Institutions, Jagdish Sheth School of Management (JAGSoM), and Vijaybhoomi University and after fifteen editions, it remains one of the more compelling examples of a long-term student initiative translating into ground-level social change.
Endorsed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under the Fit India Movement, Kanyathon has grown from a small campus initiative into a national movement working against gender inequality driven by poverty and structural disadvantage. It started in 2011 with just 400 participants and has built steadily from there. Since 2019, the initiative has raised many crores in total donations, with around ₹65 lakhs coming in during 2026 alone, supported by individual contributions & organizations including Wipro, HP, Timken, Biocon, Infosys, Siemens, Deutsche Bank, Brillio, Momentive, Sagility, and Tech Mahindra.
Mrs. Kalpana Padode, Governing Board Member, Vijaybhoomi University, said, “Kanyathon is not just a run. It is a movement in motion. With every step you take, a girl moves closer to education, dignity, and the power to shape her own destiny. The journey that began with a simple belief that when people come together for a cause, real change begins. What started as a small initiative has today grown into a meaningful movement. More than 3 lakh girls have been impacted over the last 15 years, and together, we have supported NGOs, enabled EWS scholarships, uplifted daughters from red-light areas, established Kanyathon Shiksha Kendras, and built washrooms in government schools- bringing dignity, education, and opportunity where it is needed most.”
Kanyathon has established nine Kanyathon Shiksha Kendras (KSKs) in government schools across Karnataka and Maharashtra, bringing structured programmes in spoken English, computer literacy, and health and hygiene education to over 1,000 students. Alongside this, the initiative has funded computer labs, classroom upgrades, and sanitation facilities in these schools, addressing some of the basic infrastructure gaps that affect learning. Kanyathon also offers higher education scholarships to meritorious girls from economically weaker sections. Through a partnership with The Akshaya Patra Foundation, mid-day meals are provided to
students at its centres, helping keep attendance steady and learning uninterrupted. Menstrual hygiene awareness programmes run alongside, supporting adolescent girls on health, dignity, and staying in school.
Prof. Sudhirkumar Barai, Director BITS Pilani, said, "Kanyathon at BITS Pilani was a meaningful celebration of women’s empowerment on International Women’s Day. It was especially heartening to see the participation of young girls from underprivileged communities, making the event not just symbolic but truly impactful. We are proud to collaborate on an initiative that reflects dignity, inclusion and the power of education-led change."
This year's event featured 3 km walkathons, 5 km and 10 km timed runs, pro runs, family runs, and community fitness activities, giving participants of all kinds a reason to show up and get involved. Driven entirely by students, the run saw strong volunteer participation throughout. With corporate support continuing to grow, Kanyathon is looking to reach around 1,000 more girls in the coming year, while expanding its work in education, health, and digital literacy for underserved communities.
