Honouring the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, this year’s National Sports Day was concluded on Sunday with a cycling event led by Union Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukh Mandaviya.
Addressing the gathering during the National Sports Day edition of ‘Fit India – Sundays on Cycle’ in New Delhi, the minister highlighted that this year’s celebrations were spread out over three days.
“On the first day, lakhs of people across the country gathered in playgrounds for an hour to promote the message of sports. On the second day, sports conclaves were organised at over 200 locations nationwide. On the third day, the ‘Sundays on Cycle’ event is being organised at over 10,000 locations across the country,” Mandaviya noted.
On social media, Mandaviya urged citizens to help build a self-reliant India by following the path of duty. Posting on X, he wrote: “No engine, no noise, pedal towards a self-reliant India… Kartavya Path.”
The event also featured Indian badminton player Trupti Murgunde, who praised the scale of the celebrations. Speaking to a news agency, she said, “Millions of people have participated in this three-day National Sports Day campaign, which I believe is the first time it has been organised on such a scale. It is fantastic. It shows how Indian sport is growing and how awareness around health, fitness, and lifestyle has risen over the past eight to ten years.”
Murgunde expressed confidence that the enthusiasm will only grow, noting that Indian athletes have made their mark at the Olympics in recent years. She said such progress comes gradually, through grit, hard work, patience, and determination.
The event saw a massive turnout of fitness enthusiasts, athletes, students, and citizens from all walks of life cycling together to promote the message of a fitter, healthier India.
The Fit India Movement, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019, continues to grow as a people-led campaign, making fitness a national priority and lifestyle choice for millions.