Odia Woman Runs in UK Marathon Wearing Sambalpuri Saree

Bhubaneswar: Odia woman Madhusmita Jena ran 42.5 km being draped in a Sambalpuri handloom saree on Manchester Marathon held on Sunday Breaking stereotypes, the 41-year-old UK-based Odia woman showcased Odisha’s heritage and drew applause from various quarters by doing so. She completed the marathon in 4 hours and 50 minutes.

Madhusmita works as a high school teacher in Manchester. She is also an active member of North West England Odia community. She had participated in several marathon across the world in the past.

“It is a challenging task to complete a marathon and to do so wearing a saree is even tougher. I am happy that I completed the marathon successfully,” said Madhusmita, who hails from Kusupur village in Kendrapara district.