Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday interacted with athletes and other fitness enthusiast as a part of the ‘Fit India Dialogue’ to celebrate the one year anniversary of the Fit India Movement in an event where Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju was also present.

Among many PM Modi communicated with, included Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli, Bollywood actor and runner Milind Soman, Paralympian gold medalist Devendra Jhajharia, nutrition expert Rujuta Diwekar, Afshan Ashiq – a woman footballer from Jammu and Kashmir who now trains other girls in football.

“Fitness is key to competition,” said the Prime Minister.

Modi said that during Covid times fitness has got a new definition and it has become a people’s movement, necessary for every age group.

“Fitness ki dose aadha ghanta roz” (A dose of fitness for half an hour daily), the PM said.

Modi further stressed that a family that works out together create an emotional bonding which can be helpful during the rough time of COVID-19 pandemic.

He said he believes that the people will join the Fit India movement and asked experts to help the people in becoming fit.

During his interaction with Kohli, the Prime Minister asked him how he maintains his fitness?

“I can’t miss my fitness session,” the cricketer replied. Kohli said that demands in life have increased and fitness is most important.

The Prime Minister stressed the need for mental and emotional fitness and interacted with seven people from diverse fields from female football player Afshan to yoga guru and fitness experts like Mukul Kanitker and Paralympian Devendra.

Modi also talked with Swami Shivadhyanam Saraswati – an alumni of IIT and MIT who will be representing the Bihar School of Yoga and Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal’s Mukul Kanitkar, who is renowned for his research for National Resurgence and is a educationist, among others. Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju will also be present at the event.

The Fit India Movement envisioned by the prime minister and launched by him on August 29, 2019, has seen a collective participation of more than 3.5 crore Indians in various events, with more than 2.5 crore participants in the Fit India Freedom Run that was launched on August 15, 2019, with a digital footprint of 30 crore people.