Many marathon runners view the challenge of racing over 26 miles as the ultimate test of will. For Durga Maruwada, the marathon is a metaphor for life itself.
“When I run a marathon, I react to events as they unfold,” Durga said. “I plan, I walk, I run, I stop, and then I run again to reach the finish line. It’s very similar to our daily lives. All of us have goals, and we need to prepare in order to achieve the best result."
Durga adds,“Running is much like my career here at Accenture. I give it my best, and then move on to my next task.”
A senior executive in Systems Integration & Technology, Durga is the Delivery Group lead for Application Outsourcing within the Resources operating group. He recently participated in the Mumbai Marathon, the single largest charity event in India. To date, he has raised over $5,000 for organizations devoted to fighting autism and helping the disabled by running on behalf of Give India—a non-profit organization that provides aid to non-government organizations (NGOs) throughout India.
Durga, who participated in the marathon for the third time this year, was inspired to run by his colleague, Prashant Dhume, senior executive-Systems Integration & Technology.
“Not only did we both want to improve our own physical fitness, we wanted to give back to the community,” Durga explained. “The first time I ran the Mumbai Marathon with Prashant, I was swept away by the atmosphere. It was highly charging, satisfying and electrifying.”
For Durga, fundraising initially proved a greater challenge than long-distance running.
“Asking for donations was difficult,” he admitted. “But to my surprise, as the word spread among my family and friends that I was running for charity, they were eager to contribute. They gave me the strength to raise as much money as I could.”
Around 300 of Durga’s colleagues and friends gave to his cause, and his efforts were also recognized by high-level politicians, such as Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, the former governor of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra state.
“It felt good to be making a difference to the underprivileged while I ran the marathon,” Durga said. “It was also nice to see that all my hard work paid off in the best way possible.
“My spiritual guru once said, ‘The secret to abundance lies in giving.’ I am determined to give back as much as I can. I also want see a million smiles as I cross the finish line at the Mumbai Marathon, year in, year out.”