NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Cumming, GA, October 15, 2026: Nearly 3,000 people came together for the 28th annual Pyramid Vibha DreamMile on September 20 in Cumming, Georgia, raising $352,000 to support initiatives benefiting children in India and the United States.
The annual half-marathon, 10K, 5K, and 1K event brought together runners, walkers, families, sponsors, and volunteers in a community-wide effort to support Vibha’s mission of expanding access to quality education.
The funds were raised through sponsorships, registration fees, and individual donations.
“Every child has a dream, and sometimes, all it takes is someone who believes in them to make that dream come true. That’s what Dream Mile means to me, knowing that somewhere a child may get the chance to dream bigger and believe in a brighter future,” said Arvind Gadige, lead organizer of DreamMile 2026.
The event began at 7:15 a.m. with more than 160 half-marathon runners, including several first-time participants who had trained through the Vibha Striders Training Program. More than 300 runners competed in the 10K, followed by approximately 550 in the 5K run.
The 5K walk drew more than 1,200 participants, while over 150 children, some as young as two, joined their parents and grandparents for the 1K Fun Walk.
India’s Consul General in Atlanta, Dr. Sumit Seth, attended as chief guest, accompanied by members of the Consulate team. The Consulate incorporated its “Run for Unity” initiative into the DreamMile event.
Addressing the gathering, Seth congratulated the participants and volunteers for their commitment to making a difference in children’s lives.
He presented the Volunteer of the Year award to Praveen Prabhakaran and Star Volunteer awards to Radhika Tummala, Rajani Majety, and Hemanth Pamidimukkala. He also recognized two new DreamMile sponsors, Pinnacle Bank and Game-and-Grill.
In the competitive races, Jon Boy Hager won the men’s half-marathon with a time of 1 hour and 27 minutes, while Betsy Magato won the women’s half-marathon in 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Rohan Edara and Sara Tilton finished first in the men’s and women’s 10K categories, respectively. Michael Noy won the men’s 5K, while Shreya Shetty took first place in the women’s 5K.
Gowtam Goli and Sudha Sundara won the men’s and women’s 40-and-over 5K walk categories, respectively.
The event also featured a children’s carnival, with Hope and Will, the mascots of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA), joining families for photographs and activities.
Pyramid Consulting served as the event’s title sponsor for the first time, marking another milestone in its 25-year association with Vibha.
Co-founders Sanjeev Thirath and Ramesh Maturu reflected on the company’s long-standing support for Vibha’s fundraising initiatives.
“We started sponsoring Vibha fundraising events from 2001, cricket tournaments, pickleball tournaments and 5K walks as event sponsor. When the opportunity was presented to be the title sponsor for this prestigious event, we were very happy to take it up and to be a part of the mission of Vibha in a bigger way,” they said.
One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of a $20,000 check to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, a local beneficiary of DreamMile.
The check was presented by Vibha Atlanta Executive Directors Sirisha Lingareddy, Praveen Prabhakaran, and Sathya Vridachalam.
Rajesh Vuchatu, lead for Vibha’s Atlanta projects, said the organization has contributed nearly $300,000 to CHOA over the years and has also expanded its support for educational initiatives in metro Atlanta.
“In addition to our support to CHOA over a long time reaching a total of close to $300,000, Vibha is making significant commitment to the education of children in Atlanta as well through International Community School (ICS). We have so far deployed more than $150,000 in ICS for their STEM Lab and other initiatives,” he said.
Behind the event was a team of more than 250 volunteers, many of whom had spent over three months preparing for DreamMile. Some arrived as early as 4 a.m. on race day to manage registration, T-shirt distribution, food stations, racecourse monitoring, water stations, awards, and cleanup.
Sravan Chivukula, co-lead of DreamMile 2026, said the experience reflected the dedication of Vibha’s volunteer community.
“For over a decade, volunteering with Vibha has been deeply fulfilling, knowing that my efforts help open the door to quality education for millions of children. It is a privilege to contribute to an organization that turns community support into lasting opportunity, and I am especially proud to be leading our team of dedicated volunteers this year for Dream Mile 2026,” he said.
For race results, visit RunSignup. More information about Vibha’s programs and volunteer opportunities is available at atlanta.vibha.org.
