New Delhi, February 8: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s clarion call for a Fit India received an enthusiastic nationwide response as a special edition of Sundays on Cycle was celebrated across the country—from Leh to Lakshadweep—with a flagship event hosted at the Sarusajai Stadium Complex in Guwahati, Assam.
In Guwahati, Assam Sports Minister Shrimati Nandita Garlosa flagged off the cycling rally featuring around 400 participants, who covered a six-kilometre route along NH-27 and around the Sarusajai Stadium, now known as the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex. She noted that fitness initiatives championed by the Prime Minister and promoted by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya are vital to achieving the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
“Such fitness events championed by PM Modi and whole-heartedly promoted by Union Sports Minister Shri Mansukh Mandaviya are appropriate to meet our dream of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. It is encouraging to see the youth of Assam coming forward on a Sunday morning to take part in a cycling event.”
The Guwahati event witnessed the presence of eminent sportspersons including 2012 London Olympians Jayanta Talukdar (archery) and Bharat Chetri (hockey), former world champion boxer Sarita Devi, Indian women’s football captain Ashalata Devi, and Dronacharya boxing coach Sandhya Gurung, along with Fit India brand ambassadors and senior officials.
The celebrations also featured yoga sessions, dance fitness activities, and a Kudo martial arts demonstration by athletes from Assam’s Sivasagar district, with participation from personnel of the ITBP, BSF, and CRPF.
“Which platform in the world promotes fitness this way? This is a marvellous nationwide initiative to raise awareness across all age groups. Now it is up to us to adopt a healthy lifestyle,” said Bharat Chetri, who captained the Indian hockey team at the 2012 London Olympics.
“It was heartening to see so many youngsters taking time out to cycle on a Sunday. Parents are realising there is a life beyond tuition classes,” said Ashalata Devi.
Across the country, the 60th edition of Sundays on Cycle witnessed vibrant participation at multiple locations. In New Delhi, Arjuna Awardee Alok Kumar, sportsperson Khushmeer Singh Sabharwal, fitness expert Lucinda Parti, and Ms. Charmie Parekh, Additional Collector of Daman and Diu, joined the celebrations.
The nationwide observance saw active participation from elite athletes, youth, and officials of partner PSUs, reinforcing the growing reach of the Fit India Movement as a true people’s initiative. Teams from partner organisations of Sundays on Cycle also participated across the country, strengthening collective commitment towards building a healthier, fitter, and more active India.