Colonel Shivani Sangwan, an Army Medical Corps doctor and mother of two, has completed the 122-km Silk Route Ultra in Ladakh, finishing ninth among women in the high-altitude endurance race. The fifth edition of the event was held on September 10, with runners starting from Kyagar village in Ladakh’s Nubra Valley and finishing at Leh Market. Sangwan completed the gruelling course in 21 hours, 44 minutes and 8 seconds, staying within the race’s 22-hour cut-off.
According to the official post by the Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), she also became the first woman officer from the Armed Forces to cross the finish line of the event. The race involved an altitude gain of around 2,700 metres and took participants through demanding terrain, including an ascent towards Khardung La.
Battling Distance And Altitude
The Silk Route Ultra is a 122-km endurance race designed around Ladakh’s challenging high-altitude landscape. According to India Today, the route began at Kyagar village in Nubra Valley and ended at Leh Market, taking runners through difficult terrain and towards Khardung La. The event had a stringent overall cut-off of 22 hours, along with five intermediate cut-offs. Only around 100–110 runners were admitted, with qualification criteria designed for experienced ultra-runners.
The conditions added considerably to the physical demands of the race. Participants had to deal with high altitude, low oxygen availability, steep gradients, cold, fatigue, sleep deprivation and unpredictable weather. The course recorded an overall altitude gain of around 2,700 metres, making maintaining a steady pace particularly demanding over such a long distance. News24 also reported that the race reached an altitude of 17,618 feet, highlighting the extreme environment in which the runners competed.
For Sangwan, finishing in 21 hours, 44 minutes and 8 seconds meant completing the race within the prescribed time despite these conditions. Her ninth-place finish among women was accompanied by an official DGAFMS acknowledgement of her achievement. The Armed Forces medical establishment congratulated her for completing the demanding ultra-marathon and recognised her distinction as the first woman officer from the Armed Forces to finish the event.
Doctor, Officer And Mother
Sangwan’s achievement comes alongside her responsibilities as an Armed Forces medical professional and mother of two. India Today described her as an Army Medical Corps superspecialist and a seasoned ultra-runner, while News24 identified her as a Colonel in the Army Medical Corps. Her endurance running has developed alongside her professional responsibilities rather than as a full-time sporting career.
Her Ladakh performance also adds to a record of long-distance running. According to India Today, Sangwan previously completed the 100-km Border Ultra in 2024 and secured a top-10 finish among women at the 72-km Khardung La Challenge in 2025. Her earlier achievements also include a podium finish in the Hundred Days of Running in 2022, a podium finish at the 28-km Trail-A-Thon in Gurugram, and completion of the 84-km Rohtang Epic between Manali and Sissu in 2026.
The Silk Route Ultra, however, presented a combination of distance and altitude that demanded sustained effort for almost an entire day. The race’s cut-offs meant runners had to manage their pace carefully while dealing with the effects of prolonged exertion. For Sangwan, the finish therefore represents another step in an endurance-running journey that she has pursued alongside military medicine and family responsibilities.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Colonel Shivani Sangwan’s story is about more than a finishing time or a position on a race leaderboard. It brings attention to the different responsibilities and ambitions that people can carry at the same time — professional duties, family commitments and personal pursuits.
Her achievement also adds visibility to women officers participating in demanding endurance events while continuing their careers in the Armed Forces. At the same time, stories like this are most meaningful when they inspire without creating unrealistic expectations that everyone must constantly push their physical or personal limits.
Sangwan’s journey can instead prompt a broader conversation about the value of discipline, support and making space for individual interests alongside everyday responsibilities. What do you think helps people pursue their personal ambitions while balancing demanding careers and family life?
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DGAFMS congratulates Col Shivani Sangwan, a Pathologist of #ArmyHospital (R&R), New Delhi for securing the 9th position among ladies in the Silk Route Ultra Marathon held in Ladakh from 10-11 Sep 2026. Col Sangwan, finished the gruelling distance in 21 Hours, 44 Minutes and 8… pic.twitter.com/TIfPcVP6fb
— DGAFMS-MoD (@dgafms_mod) September 13, 2026
