A 65-year-old retired scientist died after suffering a cardiac arrest in the Satara Hill Half Marathon

A 65-year-old retired scientist from Pune died after suffering a cardiac arrest while running a half-marathon in Maharashtra’s Satara district, organizers said on Monday.

Considered one of the toughest in the country for its steep climb and sharp descent in the Western Ghats, the Satara Hill Half Marathon was held on Sunday and 7,700 runners completed the 21.1 km course, they said.

Sanjay Kadam, the first participant, felt uncomfortable while running down the hill near the Powerhouse grounds between 9.30 am and 10 am on Sunday, according to the organizers.

“The fellow runners, including cardiologist Miraj Riyaz Mujawar, immediately performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) stationed along the route also reached the spot and medical staff gave him emergency treatment before taking him to Pulse Hospital while he continued CPR,” event president Upendra Pandit told PTI.

Doctors at the hospital performed an angiogram and found that one of Kadam’s major arteries was completely blocked. Subsequently, angioplasty was performed and a stent was inserted, after which he was revived and stabilized.

“However, four hours later, he suffered another massive heart attack and died,” the official said.

The deceased was a retired scientist who worked with the Center for the Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).

According to organizers, participants’ health information is collected at registration, and this year every registered runner received a medical identification tag with relevant information to facilitate emergency assistance.

About 80 percent of participants had medical tags during the event, they said.

A network of medical teams, including cycling and cardiology ambulances, was deployed along the route. Three to four participants who experienced severe convulsions or other health problems received immediate help, they added.

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Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

07 Sep 2026 15:35 IST