New Delhi, Aug 3: Continuing its mission to build a healthier, pollution-free India, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, in partnership with India Post, organised a special edition of ‘Fit India Sundays on Cycle’ across 6000 locations nationwide. Started by Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya in December 2024, the cycling initiative has been organised across more than 41,000 locations till now with an overall participation of 7.5 lakh-plus individuals.

The 34th edition paid tribute to the postmen of India, the country’s original cyclists, who for decades have connected people, places, and stories, often on nothing more than a sturdy bicycle and a strong sense of duty. India Post organised the cycling movement in its nationwide network of more than 1.5 lakh post offices. Around 3000 Namo Fit India Clubs also participated in the event.

With their khaki uniforms and humble cycles, India’s postmen have become timeless symbols of fitness, trust, and community service. On Sunday, the nation honoured its legacy and cycled with it.

The Delhi edition of the event was flagged off from the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at 7 AM, with enthusiastic participation from amateur cyclists and India Post officials. Special guests at the Delhi event included the gold medal-winning quartet of Arman, Ansh Tomar, Shekhar Rathee, and Krishna Suneriya from the U16 South Asian Basketball Championship held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Shekhar Rathee, who hails from Haryana and is currently training at the Indira Gandhi Stadium here as part of the national camp, praised the cycling initiative,

“It is a great initiative for the next generation of youth. This is the first time I attended the Fit India Sundays on Cycle, and I must say it is a great event promoting a healthy lifestyle and asking everyone to stay fit by cycling. By taking part in such activities, it improves a person’s resistance towards fighting diseases improves. I urge people of all ages to take part in cycling and Fit India Sundays on Cycle and lead a fit and healthy life,” he was quoted as saying by SAI Media in a release on Sunday.

Ansh Tomar, who is 6 feet 9 inches tall at age 15 and hails from Uttar Pradesh, stressed the need for not only indulging in a fitness activity but also “keeping a check on eating healthy food” if a person wants to avoid any kind of lifestyle diseases. Krishna Suneriya said that “obesity and addiction to drugs are becoming a menace among youth,” and the only way to prevent such problems is by adopting an active lifestyle. Hailing the Indian government for organising the Fit India Sundays on Cycle, Arman said, “Only a healthy society can build a prosperous nation.”

Other dignitaries who joined the celebrations included Dr. Aishwarya Mahajan – Managing Trustee & President, M3M Foundation, and Narender Kumar – Mountaineer & Fit India Ambassador.

The enthusiastic cyclists rode around the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and enjoyed participating in Zumba, meditation, and yoga sessions, besides the rope skipping activity organised by Dr Shikha Gupta.

The ‘Fit India Sundays on Cycle’ is organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of India (CFI), Raahgiri Foundation, My Bikes, and MY Bharat. The cycling drive is organised simultaneously in the capitals of all States and Union Territories besides SAI Regional Centres, National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), SAI Training Centres (STCs), Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs), and Khelo India centres (KICs) across various age groups.

(IANS)

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