105-year-old Dagdu Bhamre set to participate in the coming Mumbai Marathon again

Mumbai: After successfully completing the 5-km ‘Dream Run’ in 2017 Mumbai Marathon and winning hearts, the centenarian from Malegaon is all set to flaunt his ‘fitness’ yet again  this year. The 104-year-old Dagdu Bhamre, who made his debut in Mumbai Marathon last year, is all set to participate in the forthcoming marathon, to be held on January 21.

Interestingly, Bhamre, who is known in Nasik for his “simplicity” and long life, is turning 105-year-old today. On this birthday, Bhamre has promised himself that he will run at least 4.6 kms in the marathon so that he can break his last year’s record of 4.5 kms. It may be recalled that even as nearly 2,500 participants had left the marathon midway, Bhamre was amongst the few who had completed their run. He not only showed that ‘age is just a number’ but undoubtedly became a celebrity post the event.

Also Read: Mumbai: Rajnish Rathore a heart patient reveals how running in marathons has helped him stay fit

This 105-year-old former ‘munimji’ (accountant), gives credit of his fitness to his daily routine. An early-riser, Bhamre starts his day by visiting a park nearby for daily walks and a few exercises followed by a visit to all the temples in his vicinity. Subhash Amrutkar, Bhamre’s son-in-law confirmed his participation and said, “This is the second time that my father-in-law is going to participate in the marathon. We have completed all the procedures for registration and he is all set to run this year too.”

“My father-in-law is too much excited for this year’s edition. And just like last year, he has decided to stick to his traditional attire of a dhoti, kurta. Also, he will not be using any high-end or branded footwear and has instead decided to wear his usual jootis for the marathon,” Amrutkar added.

According to Amrutkar, his father-in-law has now become a celebrity in the district. He said, “Since last year, he has become too much popular here in Nashik. When we returned to his hometown in Malegaon, we were surprised to see the grand welcome he received.” “Since then people keep coming to meet him and they enjoy interacting with him. Also, after this marathon some delegates from Berlin Film Festival had also all the way to Malegaon to interview him,” Amrutkar added.