Kandivali resident Amarjeet Singh Chawla has every reason not to pursue running. He lost his eyesight in his 40s due to macular degeneration. He underwent an open heart surgery in 2024. He turned 70 this month.
Despite all odds, on Sunday (January 11, 2026), Chawla left home at 5 am, got into a cab booked by his wife, reached Powai, and completed a 10-kilometre run– his 100th run in this category.
With the help of three escorts, Chawla crossed the finish line as his eyes welled up. “There were tears in my eyes. I was so emotional,” he shares.
Chawla, who goes by the name ‘Sporty Sikh’ on social media, has run 6 ultra marathons, 162 half marathons, in addition to the 100 10Ks till date.
On January 18, he’ll be running his 163rd half marathon at the Tata Mumbai Marathon. In the next two years, he also plans to raise that figure to 201.
“After the open heart surgery, doctors told me not to run, and to walk only 4-5 kilometres. But I started my journey again last year at the same Powai run. I did 4 km then when the organisers told me to complete my 100th 10K here this year, and so I did,” he reveals.
Prior to the surgery, Chawla used to go for 3-4 marathons every month. Running is what helped him get out of depression after losing his vision.
“When people see me on the road, they first ask me why am I running if I can’t see. They feel pity. But I tell them I won’t get these achievements if I don’t get out on the road,” he asserts while crediting his success to the Almighty.
Apart from being a runner, Chawla is also a swimmer, having won several medals at the national level in disabled category. He is also the first visually-impaired trekker to scale Dolma Pass in Tibet.
Manpritsingh Jassi, a 28-year-old software engineer who was one of the three escorts for Chawla on Sunday calls Chawla a “pure inspiration.” “With Chardi Kala in his heart and resilience in every step, he proves that vision comes from belief, not eyesight. It is always a privilege and an honour to run alongside him,” says Jassi.
The septuagenarian runner’s daughter Guneet feels delighted to see her father’s spirit of never giving up. “Age or any health issues have never stopped him from achieving his targets. He is head-strong and ziddi in that way. That, sometimes, concerns our family, but mostly makes us feel proud and happy all the time,” she admits.
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Advice for beginners
Chawla remembers Fauja Singh, the British-Indian man said to be the world’s oldest marathon runner who passed away in 2025.
“Whatever your age as a beginner, you shouldn’t think about it. Fauja Singh started at 89. The only thing is to make yourself confident that you want to do this. Start at home with 10 steps a day, and increase it by 15-20 steps every day. The very first step is bed to floor, if you can take that, you will be successful in life,” he says.
He further adds, “Everyone’s physical capacity is different. If you want a challenge, then don’t compare yourself. Listen to your body. If you are a senior citizen, you will need to give your body more attention.”
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