- Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya leads 85th Fit India Sundays on Cycle from Hanol, Gujarat
- Over 1,000 Delhi participants take ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ pledge; cycling, yoga and Zumba turn fitness into a youth movement
- ‘Say yes to fitness, Say NO to drugs’ becomes the rallying cry for youngsters across 10,000-plus locations
- Siddharth Nigam urges youth to replace harmful addictions with “the addiction to fitness, hard work and achieving our goals”
NE HEALTH BUREAU
AHMEDABAD / NEW DELHI, AUG 9
What if the biggest addiction of India’s youth was not a harmful substance, but the hunger to become fitter, stronger and better? That powerful message swept across the country on Sunday as thousands of young Indians took to cycles under the banner of ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’, turning the 85th edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle into a nationwide call to choose fitness over drugs.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya led the nationwide initiative from Hanol in Gujarat, where participants collectively pledged to stay away from substance abuse and champion a healthier way of life.
The rallying cry was simple and uncompromising: “Say yes to fitness, Say NO to drugs.”
Organised under the Fit India Movement, the initiative placed India’s youth at the forefront of the campaign against substance abuse, using cycling and physical activity as positive alternatives to harmful addictions.
‘A major movement’ reaches 10,000-plus locations
Describing Sundays on Cycle as a mass movement, Dr Mandaviya said: “I am delighted that the initiative has evolved into a major movement to advance the Prime Minister’s Fit India Movement. Young people across more than 10,000 locations nationwide have conveyed the message through cycling…”
Started by Dr Mandaviya in December 2024, the initiative has so far seen participation from more than 30 lakh people across India.
The nationwide cycling drive is being conducted simultaneously across States and Union Territories, including at SAI Regional Centres, National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), SAI Training Centres (STCs), Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs), Khelo India Centres (KICs) and thousands of Namo Fit India Clubs, along with cycling enthusiasts, schools and colleges.
Delhi’s youth choose fitness over addiction
In the national capital, the mega event was organised at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, where more than 1,000 participants took the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ or ‘Drug Free India’ pledge.
The participants vowed to lead lives free from substance abuse and inspire their families, friends and communities to embrace healthier lifestyles.
The morning began as early as 5.30 am, with citizens participating in yoga and Zumba before embarking on a 5-km cycling ride around India Gate and Kartavya Path.
A dedicated game zone added further energy to the event, featuring carrom, chess, ludo and badminton, alongside fitness activities such as badminton, tug of war and an obstacle race.
Siddharth Nigam: ‘Fitness ka dose, aadhe ghante roz’
The event drew special attraction with the participation of Siddharth Nigam, Indian actor, model and gymnast; Gurveer Singh, international squash player, Junior National Champion and World Junior team bronze medallist; Narendra Kumar, IRS and Fit India Ambassador; and Meenal Pathak, Fit India Champion and renowned Zumba instructor.
After completing the cycling ride, Siddharth Nigam spoke passionately about the early-morning energy of the participants.
“Coming out at 5 am and seeing people across Delhi cycling with such energy and enthusiasm was a wonderful experience. The Fit India Sundays on Cycle event, with the theme ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’, sends a strong message that we should replace harmful addictions with the addiction to fitness, hard work and achieving our goals.”
Drawing from his own experience as a gymnast, Nigam underlined the importance of discipline.
“As a sportsperson, gymnastics taught me that discipline is the key to becoming a better person. I urge everyone to stay away from drugs, cigarettes and alcohol, take care of their bodies, and dedicate at least 30 minutes every day to fitness. Fitness ka dose, aadhe ghante roz.”
Gurveer Singh: Fitness and sporting success go hand in hand
Gurveer Singh also urged youngsters to make physical activity a daily habit.
“Fit India and Nasha Mukt Bharat are excellent initiatives to inspire youth towards fitness and away from addictions. Everyone should dedicate at least 30 minutes every day to physical activity.”
Referring to India’s sporting achievements, he added: “India’s 39-medal performance at the Commonwealth Games is also highly commendable, and our athletes have made the nation proud.”
The event was organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of India (CFI), Raahgiri Foundation and MY Bharat.
With cycles rolling simultaneously across the country and young people pledging to reject substance abuse, the 85th Fit India Sundays on Cycle sent out a message that can resonate far beyond a Sunday morning:
The strongest generation is not the one that escapes reality through addiction, but the one that builds the strength to face it.
And India’s youth have a simple prescription for that strength:
Say yes to fitness. Say NO to drugs.
