India’s first Women’s Plogging Championship held in Darjeeling

DARJEELING: “For generations, our women have kept their homes clean with pride. Today, they have taken that same spirit to the streets,” said Kabya Lama, founding member of ‘Mero Darjeeling.’ On Friday, Darjeeling hosted India’s first Women’s Plogging Championship, a landmark event that blended fitness, cleanliness, environmental responsibility and tradition.

Organised under the ‘Mero Darjeeling’ initiative, as part of ‘Youth Festival 2025’, the event saw over 180 women jog through the streets, collecting litter and carrying it. Together, they gathered an impressive 895 kilograms of waste, turning a household ritual of festive cleaning into an act of civic pride. “This is not just a race—it is a message for the entire community,” Lama added.

Unlike conventional runs, winners were chosen by the weight of waste collected, not speed. Manita Thami, a student of Nepali Girls’ High School, secured first place with 6.170 kg. “I wanted to prove that young people can take responsibility for our town. Winning is special, but cleaning was more important,” she said. Remit Lepcha (6.03 kg) and Anupama Tamang (5.65 kg) took second and third place, winning prizes of Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000, while Thami bagged Rs 10,000.

The event cut across generations. 14-year-old Saloni Mothay said: “I joined because I wanted to do something for my hills.” At the other end of the spectrum, 77-year-old Kumkum Rai remarked: “If we keep waiting for others, nothing will change. I wanted to show that even at my age, I can still help.” The championship was flagged off by Everester Pratima Rai, who told the gathering: “A fit body and a clean environment are both essential for a healthy life. I am proud to see the women of Darjeeling leading this change, carrying not just the waste but also the responsibility of inspiring the next generation.”

Globally, plogging began in Sweden in 2016, combining jogging with litter collection—“plocka upp” in Swedish means pick up. The practice spread rapidly worldwide and reached India in 2018 through fitness groups and civic campaigns. Darjeeling’s event marked the first time it was staged exclusively for women in the country.

The programme also featured an awareness session by Sailesh Sharma of DLR Prerna, who urged the participants, stating: “Segregate waste at source, say no to single-use plastics, and rethink packaged food. Fitness is short-term unless matched with sustainable choices.”