For Meenakshy Iyer, the CEO of MBB Labs India Pvt Ltd, success has many meanings. It not only means reaching professional milestones but also committing to a larger purpose and making a difference in the lives of less privileged fellow citizens. That is why Meenakshy has teamed her passion for fitness with her desire for social change and participated in Oxfam India’s annual Trailwalker Challenge seven times.
Bengaluru-based Meenakshy read about the cause-driven 100km walkathon five years ago and instantly registered. The excitement she felt then has only increased over the years. She is an unstoppable trailwalker who has covered over 500 kms in the last seven trailwalker events. She is a changemaker in more ways than one. She has influenced over 50 colleagues and friends to join these endurance challenges to support an important cause and reach their respective fitness goals.
Last year, despite the lockdown and stringent physical distancing norms, she walked virtually for over 200 kms in solidarity with the migrant workers, who were one of the worst impacted due to the lockdown. At 55, she also avidly enjoys high altitude trekking. She is now gearing up for this year’s Oxfam Trailwalker virtual-challenge.
She says, “My participation in these challenges has been driven by my love for outdoor activities. Initially, I wondered if I could pull off the 100 km challenge and floated the idea to a few of my team members back in Oracle. The idea was met with incredulous glances. Some felt that it was a relay of 25km x 4 persons and unwittingly agreed. After a few more excited conversations, I got hold of some marathoners for my first attempt at the Trailwalker Challenge. We began by tackling the 50 km challenge to begin with, and followed it up with a 100 km milestone the next year. During the third year, I suffered an injury and withdrew from the team. But by the fourth year, I was back for another 50km. In the fifth year, I participated as a support team member among a group of marathoners from MBB Labs and Oracle and they completed 100km in 26 hours.”
Balancing her life between professional and personal goals has never been hard for her and she says, “For a long time, I have successfully demarcated my work from my home life. My mornings are uncompromisingly dedicated to outdoor and fitness activities - be it a visit to the gym, running, walking, strength training or yoga. Work consumes the rest of my day and the morning endorphins help me get through my professional challenges.”
As a successful woman who aims to empower other women across India, Meenakshy instantly connected with the gender-centric theme of Oxfam India’s Trailwalker Virtual Challenge in 2021. “I believe in the core values that Oxfam India and the Trailwalker Challenge stand for. I firmly believe that women can do a lot with more support than we provide them in India. If this theme helps in improving their life in any manner, I welcome and support it wholeheartedly. I am totally committed to this year’s challenge as offering support for vulnerable women and girl children holds a special place in my heart,” she says.
Returning for the eighth time to participate in the 100 Km Trailwalker virtual-challenge, Meenakshy will #WalkForHer and join the movement against gender discrimination in India.
Oxfam India's first edition of 2021 Trailwalker Virtual Challenge will be held in 2 parts — first, between 25 February and 6 March and second, between 8 March and 17 March. It offers three challenges for the participants to choose from — they can complete either 100 km, 50 km or 25 km in 10 days. This year's first walkathon #WalkForHer is a tribute to all women who not only have to fight gender inequality at every stage of their lives but also those who bore the worst brunt of lockdown in 2020 in terms of loss of jobs, facing domestic violence, and disrupted education. For Oxfam India, a non-profit organisation working to support child education, empowering women and advocating against inequality, the Trailwalker Challenge has been one of the unique ways to involve people in important conversations as well as fund-raising.
Register here for the trailwalker challenge.
This article is part of the series on Oxfam Trailwalker 2021 for which TheNewsMinute has tied up with Oxfam India.