New Delhi [India], August 31 : Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday participated in the National Sports Day edition of Fit India's 'Sundays on Cycle' cycle rally in the national capital.
Following the event, Mandaviya informed that a three-day cycle rally has been organised on the occasion of National Sports Day. He lauded the enthusiasm of the people participating in the program, mentioning that they had conveyed a message regarding sports being an integral part of their ecosystem.
"On the occasion of National Sports Day, a three-day national sports event has been organised. Lakhs of people participated on the first day, sending a strong message that sports are now an integral part of the ecosystem... Today, at more than 10,000 places, the Indian youth is on the road on Sunday on the Cycle program," he told reporters.
National Sports Day is celebrated annually on August 29th, to emphasise the importance of sports and physical activities and serves to honour Major Dhyan Chand's legacy in Indian hockey.
Earlier, on August 24, 10,000 State Police Forces across India pedalled in unison on the 37th edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle rally, followed by the participation of pan-India 3,000 NaMo Cycling clubs.
The event spanned across more than 500 districts in India, with 6,000 locations, and witnessed enthusiastic participation from over 50,000 participants, including not only police personnel but also the general public.
Since its inception, the Fit India Sundays on Cycle movement has reached over seven lakh individuals across more than 40,000 locations nationwide.
The Fit India movement was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 29 August 2019, with the intention of incorporating fitness into the daily routines of Indian citizens. The mission of the initiative was to bring about behavioural changes and move towards a more physically active lifestyle.
The Fit India movement aims to undertake various initiatives and conduct events that promote fitness in a fun, free, and easy manner.
Encouraging indigenous sports, spreading the message of fitness to every school, college, and university, are several other goals of the Fit India movement.