ENT department head of STNM hospital secured second place in Changu Ultra 75 km
ENT department head of STNM hospital secured second place in Changu Ultra 75 km
Dr. C. S. Rai, a member of Project Life and Head (HoD) and Chief Consultant of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery Department at Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) Hospital, Gangtok, held on March 8, 2026. 1st runner-up (second place) in the 75km ultra-distance veterans category of 0.
A 58-year-old runner living below Gangtok's Upper Siche, Forest Colony successfully completed a tough 75 km ultra-distance race from Ganesh Tok to Changu Lake and back to Ganesh Tok. He finished the race in official time 10 hours 13 minutes 7 seconds.
Dr. Rai has participated in various prestigious racing competitions across the country, including Kolkata Full Marathon, Tata Mumbai Marathon, TCS World 10K Bengaluru, Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon and Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata. In addition to this, he has also completed challenging endurance competitions such as the Ladakh Marathon and Buddha Trails.
Dr. Rai is also the proud finisher of Procam Slam, one of the most respected achievers in the Indian distance race. Four major program competitions in a single season must be completed within a tight deadline to obtain a ProCam Slam title:
Marathon within 6 hours 30 minutes in Tata Mumbai Marathon
TCS WORLD 10K OPEN 10K IN BENGALURU IN 1 HOUR 25 MINUTES
Half Marathon within 3 hours 30 minutes in Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon (21. 1 km)
Tata Steel World 25K in Kolkata 25 km run within 3 hours 45 minutes
Exceptional endurance, discipline, and persistence are required to complete all four races within scheduled time.
The runners from Sikkim and Darjeeling hill region are very few.
According to Project Life Coordinator Bikram Thapa, Dr. Rai sets an excellent example of a spirit of balancing professional responsibility and personal passion.
“Being the head of a government hospital department is a highly demanding responsibility and it’s very difficult to find time for ultra-distance training. However, he has proved through a podium finish that nothing is impossible at any age with consistency, determination and hard work. There is no room for excuses," he said.
Project Life, established in 2020, has been inspiring individuals from various professions and age groups to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle. This community fitness group has brought a remarkable change in housewives, therapists, elderly and young students.
Its strong social support system aims to bring positive change in society by developing a culture that encourages and inspires one another without discrimination of religion, status or gender, building a healthier and more connected community.
