Then there’s the indomitable 67-year-old Akil Taher who has landed from the US to run his last full marathon in Mumbai. For someone who ran his first marathon six years ago and eight months after an open-heart surgery, Taher’s key offering is his spirit, apart from supporting the Bombay Medical Aid Foundation.

Dr. Akil Taher underwent bypass heart surgery six years ago and decided to focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In the six years since his surgery he has run the prestigious Chicago and Boston marathons, triathlons, climbed Mt Kilimanjaro and completed the Mt Kailash/Mansarovar Yatra on foot. His indomitable spirit extends to ensuring that support is provided to the Bombay Medical Aid Foundation, whom he will be representing this year, in his last Full Marathon.

Dr. Akil Taher celebrated his 66th birthday on March 27. Taher says triple bypass surgery in 2009 marked the time he began truly living, though. More than just a procedure to clear out blocked arteries, the surgery transformed his life.