Hyderabad, May 11: The eighth edition of Whitathon Run, the annual cause-related awareness and fundraising event organised by L V Prasad Eye Institute, was held on Sunday morning at the University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli. The run commenced at 5:30 a.m. and witnessed enthusiastic participation from over 2,000 runners, families, students, healthcare professionals, volunteers and supporters from across Hyderabad.
The event featured four race categories — 3K, 5K, 10K and 21K.
The 21K Half Marathon was flagged off by Dr Prashant Garg, Dr Vijay Anand Reddy, Arun Kumar Kalliapan and Dr Swati Kaliki.
The 10K run was flagged off by Dr Prashant Garg, Sri Venkatesh Reddy, Dr Vijay Anand Reddy and Dr Swati Kaliki.
The 5K run was flagged off by Dr Merle Fernandez, Srinivasa Rao and Dr Swati Kaliki. The dignitaries also joined in flagging off the other race categories.
Supported by Hyderabad Runners, Whitathon 2026 continued its mission of raising awareness about Retinoblastoma, a life-threatening eye cancer that primarily affects children below the age of three. The event also aimed to mobilise support for free treatment and research initiatives for underprivileged children diagnosed with the disease.
In the Men’s Half Marathon category, Suraj Sarkar secured first place with a timing of 1:30:02, followed by Tapan Rai at 1:37:51 and Md. Shahbaz at 1:42:40. In the Men’s 10K category, Pradeep Thakur emerged winner with a timing of 0:45:05, while Viresh Sharadi and Ranbir Singh Bagga finished second and third with timings of 0:45:26 and 0:46:14 respectively. In the Women’s 10K category, Kitu Sheron topped the field with a timing of 0:49:57, followed by Aishwarya Agarwal at 0:56:18 and Anisha Sharma at 0:58:57. In the Men’s 5K category, Mohd Yonus finished first with a timing of 0:21:15, followed by Umesh Bishwakarma at 0:21:48 and Vennam Anand at 0:22:28. In the Women’s 5K category, Pranika Dixit secured first place with a timing of 0:29:22, while Swarna and Nikhitha George finished with timings of 0:32:16 and 0:33:49 respectively.
The central message of Whitathon — recognising the “White Reflex” in a child’s eye as an early warning sign of eye cancer requiring immediate medical attention — was amplified throughout the event through awareness activities and participant engagement.
Speaking on the occasion, representatives from LVPEI emphasised the urgent need for early detection and timely intervention in Retinoblastoma cases. While more than 90% of children treated at LVPEI survive the disease, vision can be preserved in only about 45% of cases due to delayed diagnosis and presentation.
India accounts for nearly 20–25% of Retinoblastoma cases worldwide. Globally, nearly half of affected children lose their lives because of late detection and inadequate treatment. Medical experts reiterated that Retinoblastoma is highly curable when identified early, helping save the child’s life, eye and vision.
Funds raised through Whitathon 2026 will support treatment for children from economically disadvantaged families and contribute towards research into advanced and novel treatment options for Retinoblastoma.
Since its inception in 2018, Whitathon has steadily grown into a major community-driven awareness initiative in Hyderabad, reflecting the city’s strong culture of social responsibility and public participation.
Over the past decade, LVPEI has treated more than 2,500 patients with Retinoblastoma. The institute continues to provide over 50% of its services entirely free of cost, irrespective of the complexity of care required, through its unique cross-subsidy and Eye Health Pyramid models.
Established in 1987 with the vision “to create excellent and equitable eye care systems that reach all those in need,” L V Prasad Eye Institute is a comprehensive eye health institution and a World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for the Prevention of Blindness. LVPEI is also globally recognised for its cutting-edge eye research, with more than 5,000 scientific papers published in leading international journals.
Whitathon 2026 concluded on a high note, with participants pledging to continue spreading awareness about childhood eye cancer and the importance of early eye screening for children.
The Scores
Winners and Timings
In the Men’s Half Marathon category, the top three finishers were:
- Suraj Sarkar — 1:30:02
- Tapan Rai — 1:37:51
- Md. Shahbaz — 1:42:40
In the Men’s 10K category, the top three finishers were:
- Pradeep Thakur — 0:45:05
- Viresh Sharadi — 0:45:26
- Ranbir Singh Bagga — 0:46:14
In the Women’s 10K category, the top three finishers were:
- Kitu Sheron — 0:49:57
- Aishwarya Agarwal — 0:56:18
- Anisha Sharma — 0:58:57
In the Men’s 5K category, the top three finishers were:
- Mohd Yonus — 0:21:15
- Umesh Bishwakarma — 0:21:48
- Vennam Anand — 0:22:28
In the Women’s 5K category, the top three finishers were:
- Pranika Dixit — 0:29:22
- Swarna — 0:32:16
- Nikhitha George — 0:33:49
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