When world boxing champion Meenakshi Hooda rode into the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Sunday morning, she joined a wave of cyclists, gym‑goers and families who had gathered to celebrate health and community on Fit India Sunday.
“I’m happy to be here,” Hooda said. “Boxing keeps me fit, and it’s vital for every woman—especially housewives and girls who may not play sports—to stay active. Busy lives often push fitness to the back. This movement shows everyone that staying fit can be simple, joyful, and for all.”
Her words captured the spirit of the 45th edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle. What started in December 2024 with about 500 riders in Delhi and another 1,000 locations across the country has now grown into a nationwide movement, drawing more than 50,000 people each week to over 6,000 venues.
The initiative is a joint effort by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), the Cycling Federation of India, Yogasana Bharat, and MY Bharat. It is part of the larger Fit India Movement, echoing the slogan “Aadha Ghanta Roz – Fitness Ka Dose” (Half an hour a day – a dose of fitness). The campaign encourages citizens to dedicate 30 minutes every day to physical activity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the growing impact of Fit India Sundays on Cycle on the 117th episode of his radio show Mann Ki Baat, praising how people from all walks of life come together every Sunday to celebrate health and community.
Under the leadership of Youth Affairs Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, the movement has become a true mass mobilization for fitness. Its participants have included Central Armed Police Forces, doctors, teachers, government officials, schoolchildren, MPs, lawyers, postmen, healthcare workers, sanitation workers, state police and local residents’ welfare groups. Diverse ages and professions gather on streets and parks, turning public spaces into energetic hubs.
The wave has also drawn support from India’s top athletes, actors and fitness icons. Celebrities such as The Great Khali, Jackie Shroff, Ayesha Shroff, Rahul Bose, Sharvari Wagh, Madhurima Tuli, Mia Maelzer, Amit Sial, and athletes like Yogeshwar Dutt, Harmanpreet Singh, Mirabai Chanu, Sumit Antil, Navdeep, Rani Rampal, Salima Tete, and Lovlina Borgohain have appeared in different editions, spreading the message on the track and on social media.
This Sunday’s special edition featured fitness chains nationwide, amplifying the campaign across more than 50,000 gyms. Trainers, gym members and everyday citizens joined them for early‑morning cycling, stretching, and open‑air workouts, underscoring that fitness is a collective effort, not a solo activity.
Fit India Sundays on Cycle also includes Zumba, rope‑skipping, and yoga sessions, ensuring activities that suit all ages. This week the movement was strong in venues such as SAI NCOE Guwahati, SAI STC Raipur, STC Rajnandgaon, SAI STC Alleppey, SAI NSRC Kolkata, and SAI STC Dharamshala, along with other SAI centres across the country.
More than 3,500 NaMo Fit India Cycling Clubs sustain the movement every week, providing local leadership and ensuring thousands of people across India keep cycling and exercising every Sunday.
From the northern hills of Kargil to the coastal stretches of Kerala, and from metros like Delhi and Mumbai to the heartland of Chhattisgarh and Assam, Fit India Sundays on Cycle has become India’s largest citizen‑driven fitness movement. It carries the Prime Minister’s vision of a fit, energetic, and self‑reliant India—Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Source: ianslive
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
