Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s run in the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2025 inspired many in Jammu and Kashmir. He finished with a personal best of 1 hour 53 minutes. His passion for running, from leading the Kashmir International Marathon to preparing for the next one, has made fitness popular among youth. Many young Kashmiris now join running clubs and fitness events. Social media praises Abdullah’s discipline and energy. His example shows that leaders can promote good health by action, not words.
But while Abdullah runs for fitness, his government is slowing down in governance. Many departments, especially rural development, are not performing well. There are reports that funds meant for villages are being misused or poorly spent. Some say transfers of officers are controlled by MLAs, not by merit. Important projects are reportedly handled by a small inner group instead of through transparent processes. These issues weaken public trust in the administration.
For a strong Jammu and Kashmir, good governance is as important as fitness. Abdullah should bring his marathon spirit into government work. He must fix rural mismanagement, end the transfer corruption, and make all projects transparent and fair. His energy on the track should be seen in his office too. Only then will the state see real progress, where both people and governance stay healthy together.
