New Delhi/Gondal/Hyderabad, 18 January (H.S.): Thousands of cyclists across India converged on Sunday morning for the 57th edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle, a vibrant nationwide movement under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav banner that fuses fitness, sustainability, and community spirit, with Union Ministers leading the charge from Gujarat to Telangana.

In Gondal near Rajkot, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya spearheaded the event, drawing an enthusiastic crowd of 250 cyclists who pedaled in unison to champion health and eco-conscious living.

A regular participant himself, Dr. Mandaviya took to X post-event, declaring, “To make India fit, we have to participate on Sundays on Cycle.”

Addressing the gathering, the Minister extolled cycling as the quintessential exercise for every age group, lauding its dual benefits of enhancing physical vitality while slashing carbon footprints. We must unite in this endeavor, embracing cycling as a weekly ritual, he urged.

I relish these rides with fellow enthusiasts; they foster an invaluable sense of community. I call upon Indians everywhere to join every Sunday at a spot in your city.

Emphasizing holistic well-being, he asserted, A nation thrives only as robustly as its people. For the Viksit Bharat of our aspirations, every citizen must attain peak physical and mental fitness to fuel national progress—a vision championed by Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Interactions with participants unveiled poignant tales of cycling forging enduring communal bonds.

Meanwhile, at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad—organized in partnership with the Heartfulness Institute—Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy flagged off the ride for over 1,000 participants.

The event glittered with luminaries, including Chairman of the Sports Authority of Telangana Shiva Sena Reddy, badminton maestro Pullela Gopichand, Arjuna Award-winning shooter Esha Singh, Paralympic bronze medalist Deepthi Jeevanji, and Cyberabad Police Commissioner Dr. M. Ramesh Reddy, IPS. Felicitations honored athletes, Fit India Ambassadors, Champions, and local cycling pioneers for amplifying the fitness gospel.

Reddy underscored the imperative of weaving fitness into daily routines, aligning it with Prime Minister Modi's blueprint for a healthier society. A Healthy India remains our Prime Minister's paramount goal, he declared.

Through the Fit India Mission, we counter modern scourges like obesity and mental strain, exacerbated by dietary shifts, sedentary habits, and environmental pressures. The Prime Minister himself advocates curbing cooking oil intake. While technology eases toil, it erodes the physical exertion that sustained our forebears' vitality; we must deliberately reclaim movement.

Pullela Gopichand reinforced this, highlighting consistent activity's role in sculpting athletic prowess and disciplined lives, inspiring attendees to prioritize endurance and resilience.

Evolved into a grassroots 'jan andolan,' Fit India Sundays on Cycle has amassed over 22 lakh participants across more than 2 lakh locations since its inception. Launched on August 29, 2019, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the broader Fit India Movement echoes his mantra of ‘Fitness Ki Dose, Aadha Ghanta Roz’—a daily half-hour fitness dose—tackling obesity while advancing low-carbon, sustainable lifestyles.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar