The Council for Leather Exports (CLE), an apex export promotion body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, along with the CLE Employees Charitable Trust, announced the third edition of the “Soles for Souls” Marathon – ‘Run for Drug-Free Society’. The event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at Island Grounds, Chennai.

Building on the success of the 2024 and 2025 editions, which drew 4,500 and 8,000 participants respectively, the 2026 event aims to intensify community awareness against drug abuse while promoting healthy living and physical fitness.

Addressing the media in Chennai on 02 September 2026, The Regional Chairmyof CLE Shri M. Abdul Wahab said that the initiative also highlights the socio-economic contribution of the Indian leather and footwear sector, a labor-intensive industry employing 4.42 million people, nearly 40 percent of whom are women. Tamil Nadu plays a pivotal role in this domain, contributing Rs. 14,862 crore to exports, representing a 35.5 percent share of India's total sector exports worth Rs. 41,901 crore.

He further stated that the upcoming marathon will feature three participation categories: 3 km, 5 km, and 10 km runs. All registered participants will receive T-shirts, breakfast, and finisher medals. Online registrations have officially opened on the event portal (https://solesforsouls.in/).

Assuring the complete backing of regional trade stakeholders, Shri Abdul Wahab, stated that the footwear and leather industry in Tamil Nadu stands fully committed to supporting this social initiative and driving meaningful impact toward building a drug-free society.

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