In a heartfelt recognition of love, resilience, and sheer willpower, the National Film Awards has honoured Lata Kare, a 68-year-old woman from Baramati, Maharashtra, whose story captured the nation’s heart when she ran barefoot in a marathon to save her ailing husband.
Lata first came into the spotlight in 2013 when, at the age of 60, she participated in her very first marathon, barefoot and clad in a traditional navari saree. She wasn’t chasing medals or dreams long forgotten. Her goal was urgent and personal: to win the ₹5,000 prize money required for her husband Bhagwan’s MRI scan, following a severe heart condition.
Despite sharp stones, burning asphalt, and the weight of her saree slowing her down, Lata ran with a single purpose, reaching the finish line for her husband. And she did. As she broke through the ribbon, tears streaming down her face, she walked up to collect her prize money with dignity and quiet pride.
Thanks to her effort, Bhagwan received the much-needed scan and medication, which helped manage his heart inflammation. “Love gives you courage you didn’t know you had,” Lata shared with The Better India. “Even when no one believes in you, love gives you the strength to keep going.”
A mother of four and a former farm labourer, Lata’s story has since been immortalised in the 2020 Marathi film Lata Bhagwan Kare. Directed by Naveen Deshboina, the film is uniquely powerful, not only because it’s based on a true story, but because Lata herself plays the lead role, reliving her extraordinary journey.
Deshboina, who discovered her story in a local newspaper in 2017, recalls, “I call her Ajji (grandmother). She was firm about playing herself, even after learning she’d have to run, lift weights, and go through actual training. She took every fall, every retake, with unwavering spirit. Even when she fell ill from exhaustion, she never once complained.”
A decade ago, life for Lata and Bhagwan was modest. They worked daily-wage jobs and had just married off their third daughter when Bhagwan suffered a heart attack in 2013. With no savings left and costly medical bills looming, Lata found herself desperate.
She recalls begging neighbours, employers, even strangers, but no help came. Then, one day at the school where she worked part-time, she overheard students talking about a senior citizens’ marathon. Seeing it as her only hope, she trained with the help of a villager, jogging up hills, carrying buckets of water, and running on rocky paths, barefoot.
On race day, she had no formal registration and was initially turned away. But upon hearing her story, the organisers relented. “I was terrified,” she says. “Everyone else had shoes and gear. I had nothing but my saree. But all I could see was my husband’s life depending on that finish line.”
Her win didn’t just pay for Bhagwan’s immediate medical needs, it sparked a wave of support. Media coverage led to generous donations from strangers, local politicians, and charities. But Lata didn’t stop there. Determined not to rely on handouts, she ran and won two more marathons in 2014 and 2016.
The couple also received compensation for the biopic, which finally allowed them to retire comfortably. Today, Bhagwan is stable, on lifelong medication, and deeply grateful. “My wife didn’t just run a race, she ran for my life,” he says. “I’ve never met anyone as brave and compassionate as her.”
As Lata Bhagwan Kare received a Special Mention at the National Film Awards, it wasn’t just a win for cinema, it was a tribute to the power of love, determination, and a woman who quite literally went the distance for her partner.
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