Key Points

The North Pole Marathon is a race like no other, held on drifting sheets of sea ice only a few metres thick, floating above frigid Arctic waters. Athletes face temperatures around minus 8-degree Celsius, piercing winds that cut through layered clothing, and even the possibility of polar bears straying near the course. With an icebreaker ship on standby, armed patrols for safety, and a dedicated medical team, the event feels less like a marathon and more like a true Arctic expedition.

This edition saw participants depart from Longyearbyen, Svalbard, aboard the French icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot. The voyage spanned from 78°N to 90°N across dense sea ice, providing remarkable wildlife sightings of polar bears, seals, walruses, and blue whales along the way, as per a press release.

For Kothari, who was attempting his first-ever full marathon, the race was a trial of willpower. The first 21 kilometres went smoothly in two hours and 45 minutes. But from the 28th kilometre onwards, slushy melting ice caused his legs to sink with every step, soaking his shoes and sparking severe cramps. He suffered nine muscle cramps and an injured toe, but refused to stop. "I was not just running on ice," he later said.

"I was running on a promise, and on the belief that India has a place everywhere -- even at the top of the world." He finished in just over eight hours," he added.

What makes Kothari's feat even more inspiring is the story behind it. Growing up in Burrabazar, Kolkata, in a modest two-room home with an asbestos roof, he shared a single toilet with his extended family. He studied at Shree Maheswari Vidyalaya, where his success is now a source of pride for the community. Though he calls himself an average student, he acknowledges that the strength and determination instilled by his parents became the foundation of his extraordinary journey.

In 2012, his world seemed to collapse. Crushed by financial losses and mental strain, he came close to ending his life. Then came a call from his wife, Shipra, asking him to hold on for their children -- a moment that changed everything. Picking himself up, he restarted with door-to-door insurance sales on the footpath. Slowly, grit turned into growth, and today his enterprise spans five offices across India. Travel gradually became central to Kothari's pursuits. He completed his first half-marathon at the Tata Mumbai Marathon in 2018 and, by 2022, had visited all seven continents, including Antarctica, reached via the challenging Drake Passage.

Kothari's explorations cover some of the most extreme destinations on the globe. They include staying in an igloo in Greenland, experiencing the Polar Night in Svalbard with its 24 hours of darkness illuminated by the northern lights, visiting Yakutia, the coldest inhabited city, and skydiving in Empuriabrava, Spain. He has also been to Ushuaia, the southernmost settlement on Earth, and swum with whale sharks and humpback whales in the Pacific Ocean, even making physical contact while scuba diving. Closer to danger, he once fell nearly 100 metres while attempting Mount Elbrus in Europe, yet survived to continue climbing and running.

Following his North Pole achievement, Kothari has outlined ambitious future goals; completing the World Marathon Challenge of seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, summiting the highest peaks on each continent, and travelling to 100 countries by 2027. He has currently visited 70 nations.

For Kothari, who had once faced life's lowest moments, completing the North Pole Marathon was not just a sporting milestone but a testament to perseverance and conviction. In recognition of this achievement, he was recently felicitated by the Chief Minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta, at her residence.

- ANI