Pinkathon Returns to Hyderabad for 6th Edition with Zydus Partnership to Drive Breast Cancer Awareness
Hyderabad will host the 6th edition of Pinkathon, India’s biggest women’s run, on February 15, 2026, at People’s Plaza. The event has partnered with Zydus Lifesciences Ltd. to strengthen breast cancer awareness and promote preventive healthcare among women across the country.
The announcement was made at a press conference hosted by Park Hyatt, the hospitality partner for the event. The run features multiple categories ranging from 3 km community runs to 100 km ultra-marathons, welcoming both first-time runners and seasoned athletes.
Milind Soman, founder of Pinkathon, launched the initiative in 2012 in Mumbai. Since then, it has grown into a nationwide movement reaching over half a million women, facilitating free breast screenings for thousands, and raising more than ₹1 crore for underprivileged cancer patients.
“Pinkathon is a celebration of women choosing themselves — their health, their fitness, and their wellbeing. Hyderabad has always shown tremendous spirit and support, and this edition gives us another opportunity to amplify conversations around breast cancer,” said Milind Soman.
The 2025-26 season will cover six major cities including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, and Delhi.
This year’s Hyderabad edition celebrates inspiring mascots representing different categories. Poonam Metta leads the 100K category, Devyani Haldar represents 75K, and Leena Roy stands for 50K. Mardaku Anitha, a visually impaired runner, symbolizes the 10K category, while cancer survivor Sarita Sarkar represents the Lifelong 5K run. Preety Khanna, a babywearing mother, is the mascot for the 3K category.
The event also spotlights Invincible Women, an initiative founded by Ankita Konwar to support endurance running for women. “Pinkathon has always been a safe and empowering space for women from every walk of life. Invincible Women is about pushing boundaries and proving to ourselves that we are capable of more than we think,” said Ankita Konwar.
The partnership with Zydus aligns with the company’s preventive healthcare approach through its Easiest Exam campaign, which encourages women to perform a three-minute monthly breast self-examination. This simple practice is crucial for early detection in a country where lakhs of women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually.
Dr. Mohana Vamsy, Surgical Oncologist, emphasized the importance of early detection. “Breast cancer still ranks as one of the major cancers that are common in women, and it is indeed unfortunate that a large number of cases are still identified at the late stages. A check that takes not more than three minutes and is done once every month would change the face of the outcomes in a great measure.”
Dr. Sharvil Patel, Managing Director of Zydus Lifesciences Ltd., stated, “With the Easiest Exam campaign, we seek to empower women with the knowledge that a simple 3-minute self-examination each month can make a life-saving difference. Joining hands with Pinkathon, we aim to reach many more women, raise awareness, and inspire collective action in the fight against breast cancer.”
The event has garnered support from multiple partners including Healthy Master, Lotus Herbal, Lifelong, Sirona, Fujifilm, SAI, FIT India, and Inc 5. The initiative is executed by Smiling Tiger Experiences LLP.
Pinkathon has pioneered inclusive formats such as the Saree Run, Grandmothers 10K, Babywearing Mothers Walk, and Midnight Fearless Run. These community-driven initiatives will continue across Hyderabad leading up to race day on February 15, 2026.
