Defending Men’s and Women’s champions, Srinu Bugatha (Andhra Pradesh) and Thakor Nirmaben Bharatjee (Gujarat) respectively  will headline a star-studded Indian Elite field for the landmark 20th edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM)  2025 slated to be held on Sunday 19. January, 2025.

As may be  recalled  Srinu had become the first Indian runner to finish within the top 10 with his eighth-place in TMM 2024 with a timing of 2:17:29 hrs (Personal Best 2:14:41hrs.), while Nirmaben too finished among the  top ten with a timing to 2:47:11 hrs. (her PB) a huge improvement from her previous outing where she clocked 3:08:33

Reigning Asian marathon champion Man Singh, Olympian Gopi Thonakal (PB 2:13:39), a two-time winner and three-time runner-up, and the experienced Kalidas Laxman Hirve (PB 2:18:14) , who finished fourth at TMM 2024 edition, are among the leading contenders in the Men’s race. Gopi later won the 2024 New Delhi Marathon in 2:14.40 hrs. while piping second-placed Army-mate Bugatha by one second.

 Meanwhile, Maharashtra’s Hirve, who finished third in the 2023 TMM, underlined his current form by winning the recent Vasai-Virar Mayor’s Marathon. The World Athletics Gold Label race will also see Kartik Kumar   , the 2023 Asian Games 10,000m silver medallist, making his debut over the classic distance in Mumbai. Kartik’s best marathon time is 2:22:50 hrs., which he recorded at the Bengaluru Marathon in October last year. Also in the mix is young Harshad Mahtre (PB  2:25:50) , who finished fifth in the last TMM edition.

 As for the Indian Women’s Elite category, challenging Nirmaben, runner-up at the 2024 New Delhi Marathon and placed fourth at the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata 2024, for the top honours in the women’s race will be Sonika Parmar (PB 2:44:11) and Reenu (PB 2:55:30), winner and runner-up respectively at the 2024 Coal India Ranchi Marathon. In the fray is also TMM regular Arati Patil (PB 2:53:28), who finished second in the 2023 edition.

The top three finishers in the Indian Elite Men’s and Women’s categories will receive prize money of INR 5 lakh, INR 4 lakh and INR 3 lakh, respectively, from the total prize fund of USD 390,238. An incentive reward of INR 2 lakh is up for grabs for setting a new TMM mark, which is currently held by Army man Nitendra Singh Rawat in the Men’s 2016 edition (2:15:48) and Central Railways' Sudha Singh in the Women's 2019 edition (2:34:56).