During the pilgrimage season, Sandeep guides worshippers riding mules on their arduous journey to the holy shrine.
Navneet Singh
For two months every year, Sandeep Singh Negi of Uttarakhand hangs up his race-walking shoes and heads to the hills around Kedarnath temple. Not to train, but to earn a living by accompanying pilgrims visiting the Hindu shrine.
Negi takes four to five mules on the 32km round trip from Gaurikund to Kedarnath, guiding tourists who ride the animals to reach the temple, located at an altitude of over 3,500 metres above sea level. This is how the race walker from Pagana village in Chamoli district funds his participation in competitions.
“Since I don’t have a job, I don’t have any other means to fund my training. From May-June, during the pilgrimage season, I work as a guide for tourists visiting Kedarnath temple. Whatever little I earn helps me pursue race walking,” the 28-year-old told Sportsbackstory.com.
Negi’s family owns four to five mules, which are generally kept in their village in Chamoli. During the tourist season, however, the family works in the Kedarnath region. Tourists who cannot undertake the arduous journey on foot hire mules to reach the holy shrine.
“It’s challenging to work in difficult conditions, but I enjoy my work,” said the race walker.
Hardened by his work in the highlands of the Garhwal hills, Negi stood out after completing the gruelling 42km marathon race walk at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships in Delhi on Sunday (September 11), finishing a creditable fifth.
For training, he is based in Dehradun, one of Uttarakhand’s major cities and a hub for race walking in northern India. He trains with a group of race walkers that includes Olympian Suraj Pawar. “I stay in rented accommodation, prepare my own meals and practise with a group of athletes in Dehradun,” Negi told Sportsbackstory.com.
On Sunday, Negi clocked an impressive 3:27:37.00, considering the challenges he faces. “I am physically and mentally fit, but I need to improve my technique to win medals at the national meet,” he said.
Negi is the eldest son of a small-time farmer from the Garhwal region. He had aspired to join the Indian Army and took part in local road races organised by the state sports department to improve his fitness. However, he injured his right hand while working in the fields in 2012 and was declared medically unfit for the Army.
Negi began his race-walking journey inspired by Manish Rawat, who is also from Chamoli, and his performance in the men’s 20km race walk at the Rio Olympic Games. With support from local coaches, he moved to Dehradun to pursue the sport.
Despite missing out on a podium finish in the 2026 season, Negi refuses to give up.
“I need to improve my technique to make an impression in the 2027 season,” he said.
— EOM
