Budhia Singh

Budhia Singh, born in 2002 in the Indian state of Odisha, became internationally known for his extraordinary long-distance running achievements as a very young child. He gained widespread attention after being recognised as the world’s youngest marathon runner, completing an arduous run from Puri to Bhubaneswar at the age of five. His feat, accomplished in seven hours and two minutes, earned him a place in the 2006 Limca Book of Records and brought him national acclaim, including the Rajiv Gandhi Award for excellence in the same year. His story, however, is intertwined not only with athletic promise but also with poverty, controversy, and a complex guardian–coach relationship that shaped the course of his early life.

Background and Upbringing

Budhia Singh was born into a poor family in Odisha, and his father died when he was still a small child. Economic hardship led his mother to sell him to a travelling salesman for a small sum. Later distressed by the treatment he received, she appealed to Biranchi Das, a well-known local judo coach and orphanage operator, to take the boy into his care. Das reimbursed the salesman and brought Budhia to live with other orphaned children at a judo training facility.
According to accounts of his discovery, Das once punished the boy for misbehaviour by making him run laps, but inadvertently left him unsupervised for several hours. Returning to find the child still running, Das sought a medical evaluation, which revealed no abnormality even after hours of exertion. This moment marked the beginning of Budhia’s structured training. Under Das’s guidance, he reportedly completed 50 marathons by the age of four, an achievement that positioned him as a prodigious long-distance runner.
Following his record-setting run, Budhia was later admitted to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) hostel in Bhubaneswar. He described his time there as restrictive, and after nearly nine years he returned to live with his mother, Sukanti Singh, and his sisters.

Career, Publicity, and Controversy

Budhia’s running ability propelled him into national fame, resulting in appearances in various television commercials and public events. Speculation arose that his coach, Biranchi Das, benefited financially from the publicity surrounding the child’s achievements, leading to accusations of exploitation. In response to growing public concern, child welfare authorities initiated an investigation in 2006. Das denied wrongdoing, maintaining that his actions were aimed at nurturing Budhia’s exceptional talent.
A major documentary, Marathon Boy (2011), chronicled the evolving relationship between Budhia and Das over a five-year period beginning in 2006. Produced for HBO and the BBC’s Storyville series, the film explored themes of ambition, guardianship, and the ethical complexities of child athletic training. It received critical recognition and an Emmy nomination. Within the documentary, Budhia retracted earlier claims made against Das.
By the age of 13, Budhia was no longer participating in long-distance running but continued general conditioning for one to two hours daily. He has expressed aspirations to represent India in the men’s marathon at the Olympic Games.

Murder of Biranchi Das

On 13 April 2008, Biranchi Das was shot dead at the Buxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar College judo centre in Bhubaneswar. Police investigations determined that his killing was unrelated to his role in training Budhia Singh. Instead, the murder stemmed from an altercation with a local gangster, Raja Acharya, after Das attempted to defend model Leslie Tripathy from alleged harassment. Acharya and his associate Akshya Behera were later convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2010.

Biographical Film and Legacy

Budhia Singh’s early life and his complex relationship with Das were dramatized in the 2016 film Budhia Singh: Born to Run, directed by Soumendra Padhi. The film featured Mayur Patole as Budhia and Manoj Bajpayee as Biranchi Das and won the National Film Award for Best Children’s Film at the 63rd National Film Awards.
Budhia Singh remains a compelling figure in Indian sports history, representing both the potential and the ethical challenges associated with nurturing child prodigies. His story continues to evoke discussions about child welfare, training practices, and the broader cultural fascination with extraordinary athletic talent.