Beyond the desk, Chandigarh DC takes the long Ladakh road

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Nishant Kumar Yadav completes 21.1-km Half Marathon in Leh as the 13th edition draws runners from across India and abroad

Chandigarh: From administrative files and public grievances in Chandigarh to a 21.0975-km endurance challenge in Leh, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Nishant Kumar Yadav recently took on a very different kind of test.

Yadav, who is currently serving as Chandigarh DC, completed the Half Marathon at the 13th Ladakh Marathon held on September 13. The official Ladakh Marathon website lists the race distance as 21.0975 km, with the course starting and finishing at the NDS Memorial Stadium, Leh.

The Half Marathon was one of six races conducted as part of this year’s Ladakh Marathon. The other events included the 42.195-km Marathon, 11.2-km Run, 5-km Run for Fun, 72-km Khardung La Challenge and 122-km Silk Route Ultra.

What sets the Ladakh event apart from a conventional city road race is its setting. The organisers describe it as the highest AIMS-certified marathon, while the UT Ladakh Administration describes it as one of the world’s high-altitude endurance running events.

The administration said the marathon has grown into a platform not only for promoting running and fitness but also for showcasing Ladakh’s landscape, culture and spirit of resilience to a global audience.

The run also offered a glimpse of Yadav’s endurance outside his administrative role. The Ladakh Marathon organisers describe the event as a high-altitude endurance challenge, with the Half Marathon covering 21.0975 km at an altitude of around 11,500 feet.

The 2026 edition was held from September 10 to 13. The UT Ladakh Administration said the opening events drew participation from students, government officials and runners from India and abroad. As many as 1,334 participants took part in the 5-km Run for Fun, while the Silk Route Ultra and Khardung La Challenge saw 118 and 359 participants, respectively.

For Yadav, the run came alongside a demanding administrative role in Chandigarh. The Chandigarh Administration lists him as the DC, District Magistrate and Estate Officer, among several other responsibilities.

The official race information notes that finishers of the Half Marathon receive a certificate carrying their official time along with a medal.

Meanwhile, Yadav’s participation adds a personal fitness dimension to the public role of Chandigarh’s senior-most district administrator, taking him from the city’s administrative corridors to one of the country’s most distinctive endurance-running events.