Mohit Mishra

About Me

My name is Mohit Mishra, and I work as a corporate fundraiser with Room to Read. Running has quietly shaped who I am over the years. It started as a simple way to step outside, breathe, and clear my head. Over time, it became a space where I learned about my limits, my patience, my relationship with food and health, and most importantly, gratitude.

In the beginning, even small distances felt big. Five kilometres felt like a long run, and a 100-metre sprint was all I could give. Inspired by a friend, I began running a little farther and started recording my runs. What I didn’t realise then was how much that small decision would change me. Today, after five years, more than 5,000 kilometres of total running, and a 100 km long run to my credit, I look back at the journey with a lot of humility and happiness. 2025, especially, has been a deeply fulfilling year for me as a runner.

One of the things I am most grateful for in life is my work with Room to Read. Being part of this organisation allows me to see, every day, how education can quietly but powerfully change lives — especially for children who start with very little. The people I work with, and the impact they create at a systemic level, inspire me constantly.

This fundraiser is my way of bringing these two important parts of my life together. Running has taught me perseverance and perspective, and through this effort, I want to do something small but meaningful for children who deserve the chance to learn, grow, and dream. Like every challenge I take on, I know this one will also teach me more about myself and the world around me.

Appeal

Think back to a moment when you felt stuck in life, in your career, studies, or a personal challenge.
A moment when you thought, “If only I knew a little more,” or “If only someone could guide me through this.”

Most of us were able to move forward because we had access to education, or a teacher, mentor, family member, or friend who helped us navigate those moments. That support, often invisible, exists because of the privilege of our upbringing and the education we received.

Now imagine not having that foundation at all.

Imagine being so young that you don’t yet know what choices matter, and so dependent that the system around you determines your future. This is the reality for millions of children studying in government schools in rural India.

Some facts that underline the challenge:

- India has 25 crore students across 15 lakh schools
- Nearly 70% of children live in rural areas
- 49% of rural children attend government schools
- 80% of children in Grade 3 struggle to read a Grade 2-level sentence, leading to learning gaps, dropouts, and limited life opportunities

Education gives us the chance to live a life just a little better than the one we were born into.
It fuels hope, builds resilience, and gives us the confidence to persevere. As it did for me.

Room to Read is creating that foundation for millions of children in India and across 29 program countries. Over the last 25 years, they have:

- Reached 52+ million children
- Distributed 45 million children’s books
- Built strong literacy skills and a lifelong love for reading in communities that need it most

This post can’t do justice to their work, but I encourage you to spend a few minutes learning more at www.roomtoread.org.

This year, at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026, I’m running to support Room to Read.
My goal is to raise ?50,000, which can help provide approximately 600 books to children from low-income communities studying in government schools in India.

If education helped shape who you are today, I invite you to pay it forward.
Every contribution, big or small, helps a child turn a page toward a better future.

Thank you for your support!

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