65-year-old retired C-DAC scientist Sanjay Kadam from Pune died of cardiac arrest during the famous Satara Hill Half Marathon in Maharashtra on Sunday.Kadam was participating for the first time in the challenging 21.1 km hill run, considered one of India’s toughest due to Western Ghats climbs and steep slopes.
Around 9:30-10 AM, near the Powerhouse area on a downhill stretch, he felt uneasy after completing 17 km.Fellow runner Dr. Riyaz Mujawar, a cardiologist from Miraj, immediately gave him CPR. A cardiac ambulance stationed on route reached instantly and shifted him to Pulse Hospital.Angiography showed a major artery fully blocked.
Doctors performed angioplasty and placed a stent, restoring heartbeat and stabilizing him. However, about 4 hours later he suffered a second severe heart attack and could not survive.Organizers said 7,700 runners completed the marathon this year. Medical ID tags, bike ambulances and cardiac ambulances were deployed along the route, helping 3-4 other runners too.
