Who is Om Satija? 23-year-old Indo-Australian athlete running from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to raise ₹60 lakh for marginalised children

Over the past few years, running has become more than just a physical activity. It has transformed into an act of awareness, either for yourself or for others. While previously people ran alone, now running communities and marathons have taken over, improving not only physical health but also mental happiness.However, a 23-year-old Indo-Australian, Om Satija recently made use of the sport for an exemplary issue. The Melbourne-based athlete is currently undertaking one of the most ambitious long-distance runs ever attempted across the Indian subcontinent.Satija, is on a unique 5,000km 'One India Run' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, all to support a cause close to his heart.Satija began his journey on Republic Day, January 2026 and on April 23rd, day 87, he covered close to 4,000km. Maintaining a pace of nearly 50km per day, he approached Delhi yesterday and is expected to reach Kashmir by mid-May.If achieved, this feat would not only make him the youngest person to run the length of India but also the first to traverse the country's east coast entirely on foot.However, beyond the show of physical prowess, Satija's run is for a cause. The trained physiotherapist aims for ₹60 lakh for Udayan Kolkata, an organisation that works with children from marginalised and leprosy-affected communities.Every kilometre of the run translates to roughly ₹1200 towards education, with the larger goal of supporting 1,000 children over the next five years.The campaign has already achieved ₹17 lakh with the momentum building community engagement, local participation and grassroots fundraising events.Satija's run has transformed from a solo journey to a shared effort. Across the cities and towns he has been running, supporters have joined him for short stretches. His challenge is adding to a part of a global trend where athletes use extreme endurance challenges to drive social awareness and tangible changes. What prompted the young professional to take up the journey?Well, it was a childhood trip to Ram Jhula in Rishikesh, where he and his father distributed blankets to the needy. “During a visit to India in my school days, at Rishikesh, I saw a person afflicted by leprosy for the first time, an incident that left a deep impact on me,” he said.Though leprosy is a curable disease, it continues to carry stigma in India. More than one lakh new cases were recorded in 2024, and over 800 colonies across the country still house families facing discrimination and exclusion.Thus, with One India Run, Satija aims to encourage young people to believe that fitness, dreaming big and taking initiative can be powerful tools for social change. "I'm running this entire distance to help support a wonderful cause. Leprosy is something no one talks about, it is a very curable disease but so many young children live with stigma and are denied opportunities in society, so I am just here to be that voice for them," said Satija to AIR News.