Mr. Sumanth Cidambi, Director - KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) India Financial Services Private Limited, is participating in the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2020 on behalf of Habitat India. An avid runner and ultramarathoner, Mr. Cidambi is the first Indian to cross the Atacama Desert in Chile, considered as one of the most brutal deserts in the world while participating in one of the most arduous running events in the world - four desert ultramarathons across the Atacama in Chile, Sahara in Egypt, Gobi in China and Antarctica.

What inspired you to begin your journey with running and marathons, especially ultramarathons?
Sumanth Cidambi: I was diagnosed as diabetic when I was 34, brought on by several years of a reckless lifestyle, disorderly eating habits and a poor sense of healthy living. Along with proper nutrition, exercise became a must to keep my blood sugar levels in check. I am also inherently introverted and feel uncomfortable in large groups of people. So team sports don’t necessarily excite me. Running is inherently a solitary sport and I took to it immediately. An hour of running on weekdays, usually two, three or four hours on a weekend affords me the luxury of time to be with my thoughts and introspect.
When I turned 40, I looked for a bigger challenge beyond the regular marathon, which is when I signed up and started running in ultramarathons. So, over a journey of 15 years, I first started small – 1km walks initially – to 250km ultramarathons today. What started as a necessity for safeguarding my health, is now my lifestyle sport of choice.
You have extensive experience in the corporate world – what made you aware of social issues, such as supporting Habitat for Humanity India?
Sumanth Cidambi: There really is no one instance or event that I can pinpoint to and say, “That’s what made me (more) socially conscious.” With the benefit of working in stable environments over many years and participating in CSR activities, as well as living in a residential community that is active in terms of social outreach, such awareness is bound to arise. For example, in our own community, we have children who volunteer on weekends to teach English to children from poorer families in our neighborhood.

Please do tell us about what inspired you to run in the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2020 to help girls stay at school.
Sumanth Cidambi: There really is no one instance or event that I can pinpoint to and say, “That’s what made me (more) socially conscious.” With the benefit of working in stable environments over many years and participating in CSR activities, as well as living in a residential community that is active in terms of social outreach, such awareness is bound to arise. For example, in our own community, we have children who volunteer on weekends to teach English to children from poorer families in our neighborhood.

What draws you specifically to this cause? Could you explain your journey which culminated in your support to Habitat India?
Sumanth Cidambi: A few thoughts come to my mind. Firstly, knowledge dispels ignorance. Access to knowledge is through systematic education. Secondly, I strongly believe in the concept and practice of equity – meaning, the fairness and equality in treatment of everyone, including access to resources. A good education is one such resource.

I believe it is shameful and very sad that a girl in a rural school is discriminated against or finds herself in a situation where such education is made inaccessible to her, whether by default or by design, merely because she doesn’t have access to a separate toilet or because she lacks the resources and counselling to help her navigate her first period.
Habitat India’s Stay at School campaign addresses this gap in a thorough manner. It is a holistic direct outreach program comprising 1-1 counselling, supply of hygiene kits as well as construction of toilets in schools.

The approach addresses the taboo issue of menstruation from many angles and helps comprehensively alleviate the fears and stigma that surround this.
I consider myself very privileged to be an ambassador for this worthy cause!

How do you think better sanitation in schools, counselling and hygiene kits will help girls as they struggle with the fear and shame attached to menstruation?
Sumanth: A lot of the fear and shame of these girls arises from ignorance and not knowing “how” to take care of themselves when they experience their periods. Counselling removes the ignorance. The hygiene kits help these girls take better care of themselves. Separate toilets reinforce their right to basic privacy as well as help protect them from unsanitary and unsafe conditions.

Mr. Sumanth Cidambi is running to raise awareness of menstrual hygiene and its impact on the reproductive and overall health of young school-going girls. He has pledged to raise INR 25 lakh for Habitat for Humanity India.