They came for one race, stayed for twenty: Meet the ever-present duo of VDHM

As the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon (VDHM) gears up for its landmark 20th edition, two names stand out as living symbols of commitment—Virat Bhushan from Delhi and Suvir Khullar from Mumbai. They have run every single edition of the race since its inception in 2005, and their unbroken streak has now earned them a place in the newly launched VDHM Stars Club.

The VDHM Stars Club, unveiled last month, celebrates runners who have completed the 21.097 km Half Marathon at least 15 times. It currently has only 40 members, and Virat and Suvir are its most experienced faces, having taking part in all 19 past editions. Among the women, Rashmi Mohanty and Shruti Saxena will join the club this year as they prepare for their 15th run on October 12.

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At 63, Virat defies the conventional image of a slow-paced retirement. A devoted runner since 1978, he sees running as a lifelong companion. “For 48 years, running has been part of who I am. It’s not about a finish line—it’s about the journey,” he said. Suvir, now 54, found running much later. Once teased about his weight, he embraced running to build discipline and has never looked back. “I had no goal except to stay consistent. To now be recognised as a VDHM Star feels like validation of all those years,” he shared.

Both men praise the marathon’s evolution from a few hundred runners in 2005 to one of the world’s most sought-after races today. Virat loves the shared energy of the event—“You run alone, but also together”—while Suvir treasures it as an annual reunion with friends and family in Delhi, wrapped in the city’s infectious spirit and food. Having run over 60 marathons, one-third of them in Delhi, he calls VDHM “my own event.”