Hi, I’m Om — a 22-year-old Indian-Australian from Melbourne. From 26 January 2026, I’ll be running 5,000 km from the bottom to the top of India, averaging around 50 km a day, to raise money and awareness for organisations like Udayan Kolkata, which support children and families affected by leprosy and discrimination.

When I was 10 years old, I was in Rishikesh with my dad and brother, handing out blankets on a cold night near the Ram Jhula bridge. That’s where I first saw people affected by leprosy — sitting quietly on the side of the road, largely ignored and invisible. I didn’t fully understand it at the time, but I knew something wasn’t right. That moment stayed with me.

Udayan is a home and school on the outskirts of Kolkata that supports children whose families are affected by leprosy. Because of stigma and discrimination, many of these children are denied education and basic opportunities. Without support, they are at high risk of becoming street children, child labourers, or victims of trafficking. Udayan works to break this cycle by providing education, care, dignity, and a real chance at a different future.

This run is about more than covering 5,000 km. It’s about challenging discrimination, pushing the limits of the body and mind, and using movement as a way to unite and inspire people across India, Australia, and beyond.

How your donation will be used

To be fully transparent, the total cost of running 5,000 km across India is approximately $50,000 AUD.

So far:

$30,000 AUD has already been committed from our own savings and the support of a few small sponsors

Around $15,000 AUD was raised prior to 26 January 2026, and this will go directly to Udayan Kolkata

This means we’ve already taken on the majority of the financial responsibility ourselves, and the funds raised before the run began are fully dedicated to supporting children through Udayan.

To make the run itself possible, however, we still need to raise the remaining $20,000 AUD.

From 26 January 2026 onwards, donations made through this fundraiser will be used to cover this remaining shortfall — funding essential costs such as transport, safety and medical support, logistics, and basic operations required to complete the run safely and sustainably.

Once this $20,000 gap is covered, all additional funds raised will go directly to Udayan Kolkata, supporting the education and wellbeing of children from severely under-resourced backgrounds.

To give a sense of impact:

We are actively pursuing further sponsorships and in-kind support to reduce costs wherever possible, with the goal of directing as much funding as we can to Udayan.

I’m a big believer in transparency. If you ever have questions about how the money is being used, the run itself, or anything else, feel free to reach out via the email below or @oneindiarun on Instagram.

Also, feel free to check out our website oneindiarun.org

Thank you for helping make this journey — and its impact — possible.