The Four-Legged Pacemakers: Why Bengaluru’s Indies are the Real Winners of the TCS 10K

If you were at the TCS World 10K this weekend, you might have seen the elite women runners sprinting toward a record. But if you looked closely at the finish line, you would have seen a pair of floppy ears and a wagging tail keeping perfect time. Pedro at the TCS Marathon ! Meet Pedro. He is one of the beloved Parkies , the free ranging dogs at Cubbon park.He doesn’t have a professional coach, and his "nutrition plan" mostly involves treats from the local park, but his performance was nothing short of cinematic. With a "dance step" that would give Hrithik Roshan a run for his money, Pedro didn’t just run; he vibed. He checked back on struggling runners, offered silent encouragement, and eventually finished with the pros. More Than Just a "Stray" Pedro isn't an outlier; he’s part of a community. In the TCS Charity Corridor, we met Juno, cruising in her wheelchair with her dad, Prateek Dixit, proving that "differently-abled" is just another way of saying "unstoppable." Then there’s Batman, who has clocked 500 km on Strava—likely more than most of us did all year. These stories are the heartbeat of the #IndieProud movement. For years, the CJ Memorial Trust has worked to change the narrative. We’re moving past the "pity" of adoption and into the "pride" of companionship. The Indie Milestone This year, the #IndieProud logo hit the national stage. It’s a movement supported by the spirit of the late Ratan Tata, whose love for Indies paved the way for Indian Dog Day on December 28th. Why this matters: • Community: These dogs aren't "nuisances"; they are our buddies who time our runs and guard our parks. • Identity: To be #IndieProud is to recognize that our native dogs are world-class athletes and loyal friends. • Impact: Through the "Million Indie Project," we are creating a world where every Rani (who also finished the race , refused to leave and had to be carried back to the Shell bunk!) and every Gumpy has a place to belong. After the race, volunteer Priya Chetty-Rajagopal , Sandhya Chandrashekar & her son Siddhanth found Pedro at the Bandstand near Cubbon Park. Was he celebrating his elite finish with a press conference? No. He was curled up under a bench in the dog park, sleeping like a baby. He gave a sleepy "bow," accepted a well-earned treat, and went back to his dreams. He’s going to beat the elite runners next year again , and get trained by his fave marathoner Cap Sujith! If Parkie Batman has run a 1000 kms with Cap Sujith, so can he. Pedro, Batman, and Juno aren't just dogs on the street. They are the spirit of Bengaluru. And it’s time we were all a little more #IndieProud. Batman with Cap Sujith The Heart, The Hustle, and The Hounds 🐾 The Spirit of the Run: The energy at Cubbon Road was electric! Despite the early hours and strict security hurdles that kept some of our cheering squad at the gates, the CJMT spirit was uncontainable. Our founder, Priya Chetty-Rajagopal, was right there in the thick of it—running, cheering, and high-fiving the 10K runners in the charity corridor. Joining the cheers was Ajitha Vijayan, who smashed her Majja Run in a fantastic 32 minutes! The Star of the Show: Juno & Prateek: The most touching moment of the day belonged to Prateek Dixit and his brave girl, Juno. Prateek (the creative genius behind our #IndieProud and CJMT logos) brought Juno all the way from Hoskote. Juno, who is paraplegic, arrived in her rucksack before getting on her wheels to greet the crowd. When she eventually needed a break, she rested on her mat, soaking up cuddles from every runner who passed by. The best part? Many realized for the first time that the dog in the #IndieProud logo is actually Juno! Seeing her courage was a reminder of why we do what we do. Tuxedos and Young Heroes: The morning took a dapper turn when Vineet Bhansali joined us—straight from a party and still in a full tuxedo! He found his "morning purpose" waving our #AdoptDontShop posters and encouraging runners. We were also joined by 11-year-old fundraising superstar Siddharth (who has raised over ₹1 Lakh for CARE!) and Sandhya Chandrashekar. Siddharth and Juno were a match made in heaven, and he’s already made a date to visit us at the Dog Park! The Four-Legged Elite: Our "Parkie" dogs stole the show. Pedro was spotted doing a "dancing jig" as he ran alongside the elite runners, finishing with incredible speed! And a huge shoutout to Rani, who finished the walk but got a bit overwhelmed—thankfully, Sujith went back to find her and carried her 2km to safety. What’s Next? The marathon may be over, but the work never stops. We wrapped up the day at the Cubbon Park Dog Park, planning for our big adoption drive next week. Thank you, Bengaluru, for being #IndieProud!