Birthday surprises usually involve cakes, candles and carefully wrapped gifts, but one Bengaluru man chose a far more unconventional way to mark his partner’s
special day and the internet can’t stop talking about it. Avik Bhattacharya recently went viral after posting a video of himself completing a 26-kilometre run to celebrate his girlfriend’s 26th birthday. The clip, shared on Instagram, has struck an emotional chord with viewers, many of whom say the gesture has “raised relationship standards.” The video was uploaded on @simranxavik, a joint Instagram account run by Bhattacharya and his girlfriend, Simran. It begins with Simran explaining that she had planned to run 26 km on her birthday but couldn’t because she was unwell. Reacting to what Bhattacharya did instead, she says, “I don’t know how to match this guy.” The clip then cuts to Bhattacharya announcing, “My girlfriend just turned 26, so I’m going to be running 26 km for her birthday.” What follows are short snippets of his long run, filmed as he moves through the city, sharing his thoughts, prayers and messages for Simran.
During the run, Bhattacharya reveals that he chose to run without earphones so he could remain mindful and reflect on happy memories with her. He also mentions that the couple is training for the upcoming Mumbai Marathon, which is just two and a half weeks away, but he still wanted to dedicate this particular run to her birthday.
At one point, he is seen praying for Simran’s well-being, stressing the importance of good physical health, calling it “the base for everything.”
The heartfelt gesture struck a chord with Instagram users, who flooded the comments section with praise and awe. One user wrote, “Bro setting standards.” Another admitted, “My throat just got heavy.”
A third commented, “Now, should I write no way 26 times. I mean, where on earth can one find such a guy, damn.” Meanwhile, another jokingly added, “For the sake of my mental sanity, I’ll think it’s AI.”
