Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya led the 88th edition of the Fit India Sundays on Cycle movement at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, integrated with the BRICS Run & Ride 2026 initiative. Held just a day after National Sports Day, the event saw over 5,000 participants gather in the capital while rolling out simultaneously across more than 25,000 locations nationwide. High-profile figures including Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir, wrestler Sangram Singh, and actor Madhurima Tuli joined the public, senior government officials, and an ITBP brass band performance at the venue.
Dr. Mandaviya highlighted the special significance of this edition as India prepares to host the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam on September 12–13. Diplomatic representatives from BRICS partner nations—including envoys from Russia, Belarus, Cuba, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Ethiopia—participated in the event. Urging citizens to step away from screens for at least an hour daily, the Minister pointed out the three-fold benefits of cycling: boosting personal health, reducing environmental pollution, and easing urban traffic congestion.
Flagging off the cycling ride, Gautam Gambhir emphasized that physical fitness directly correlates to national strength and self-reliance. He urged the nation’s youth to treat the initiative not merely as a single sports gathering, but as a sustained nationwide movement to keep the country healthy and active. Organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports alongside the Cycling Federation of India, Raahgiri Foundation, and MY Bharat, the initiative continues to expand across all states and Union Territories through the SAI and Khelo India networks.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
