Ashis Roy facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Marathon Man of India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Born | 1 June 1932 Shillong, Meghalaya, India |
| Education | St. Edmund's College Assam Medical College Pune University |
| Occupation | Cardiologist |
Wing Commander Ashis Roy is a famous Indian runner, author, and heart doctor. He is best known for being the first Indian man to run 100 marathons. By 2015, he had finished 145 races in total. Out of these, 115 were full marathons. He was born on June 1, 1932.
About Ashis Roy
Ashis Roy was born in Shillong, Meghalaya, India. His father, Sudha Sindhu Roy, was a sports player and organizer. Ashis went to school at Government Boys' High School. He later studied at St. Edmund's College and Assam Medical College. He also earned a special medical degree from Savitribai Phule Pune University.
In 1957, he joined the Indian Air Force. He served as a Wing Commander for 21 years. He retired in 1978. After leaving the military, he became a heart doctor. He worked in Chittaranjan Park, Delhi. Ashis Roy has three children. One daughter lives in the US and sometimes runs races with him. Another daughter lives in Canada, and his son lives in London.
His Running Journey
Ashis Roy started running competitively in 1949. He was 16 years old then. His first race was a one-mile run. He did not run a full marathon until 1985. This was the Rath Marathon in Delhi. He started running marathons after he left the Air Force.
He has run in many famous races around the world. These include the World Veterans Games in Australia in 1987. He also ran in the 100th Boston Marathon in the US in 1996. In 2000, he ran the Millennium Marathon in Canada. He even took part in the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race in the US in 2008. In 2015, he ran the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
On January 17, 2010, he made history. He became the first person from India to complete 100 marathons. In 2015, he joined the 100 Marathon Club. He was the first Indian ever to become a member. In 2013, when he was 81, he was listed in the Limca Book of Records. He was named the oldest marathon runner in India. After a back injury in 2011, he started running only half marathons.
Where He Ran Marathons
Here is a list of the countries where Ashis Roy completed his full marathons:
| No. | Country | Number of Marathons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 40 |
| 2 | United States | 44 |
| 3 | Canada | 12 |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 2 |
| 5 | Greece | 1 |
| 6 | Netherlands | 1 |
| 7 | Poland | 1 |
| 8 | Finland | 1 |
| 9 | Sweden | 1 |
| 10 | Norway | 1 |
| 11 | Japan | 1 |
| 12 | Korea | 1 |
| 13 | Malaysia | 1 |
| 14 | Macau | 1 |
| 15 | Australia | 1 |
| 16 | New Zealand | 1 |
| 17 | Russia | 1 |
| 18 | Germany | 1 |
| 19 | Czechoslovakia | 1 |
| 20 | Austria | 1 |
| 21 | Pakistan | 1 |
| Total | 115 |
Major Achievements
Ashis Roy has achieved many great things in his running career:
| Year | Age | Achievement | Location | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 60 | First Indian to run a marathon at age 60 | |||
| 1999 | 66 | Only Asian to run marathons in the USA on three Sundays in a row | USA | Toledo Glass City, Rite Aid Cleveland, Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathons | |
| 2003 | 71 | First Indian over 70 to run two European marathons on consecutive Sundays | Europe (Czech Republic, Austria) | Prague International and Vienna International Marathons | |
| 2007 | 75 | First man over 75 to run 8 marathons within 8 months | |||
| 2009 | 76 | First Indian marathoner to publish a book about marathons | The Joy of Running | ||
| 2010 | 77 | Completed his 100th race | Mumbai, India | ||
| 2012 | 80 | Named Best Sports Person of the Year | India | Awarded by the Union Ministry of Social Welfare | |
| 2015 | 83 | Joined the 100 Marathon Club | Mumbai, India | First Indian to become a member | |
| 2015 | 83 | Received Lifetime Achievement Award | From Run with Me Foundation Runner of the Year Awards |
