The 83rd edition of the Fit India Movement's flagship 'Sundays on Cycle' initiative paid tribute to the soldiers of the 1999 Kargil War on 26 July 2025, drawing citizens, Armed Forces personnel, athletes and students into cycling events held across the country to mark Kargil Vijay Diwas. The nationwide drive also served as the launch platform for the newly introduced Fit India Volunteers Programme, aimed at channelling youth energy into sports management and fitness events.

Events Across the Country

Cycling activities were organised across major cities and Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centres spanning from Leh to Kanyakumari. Young athletes joined the rides to honour the courage and sacrifice of India's armed forces, with the geographic spread underscoring the campaign's ambition to be a truly national observance rather than a metro-centric event.

In New Delhi, serving and retired personnel from the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force rode alongside students, fitness enthusiasts and members of the general public. Major Shubhanshu Bharadwaj addressed participants at the capital's event: 'It is gratifying to see so many young people coming together to remember our war heroes. This initiative by the Fit India Movement to bring everyone together is commendable. If we have to move forward as a nation, it is important for each one of us to be healthy.'

Maitreyi College and the Diamond Jubilee Link

Students and faculty from Maitreyi College, University of Delhi, participated as part of the institution's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, weaving together themes of youth fitness and nation-building. Former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, who attended as chief guest, praised the college's longstanding focus on sports. 'Maitreyi College has emerged as one of the finest colleges of Delhi University because of its focus on sports and extracurricular activities. On their Diamond Jubilee, they have taken this interest in sports and fitness to a new level by collaborating with the Fit India Movement,' Kant said.

Fit India Volunteers Programme Launched

The newly unveiled Fit India Volunteers Programme received an encouraging early response, with several Maitreyi College students registering through the Fit India portal. The programme is designed to give young volunteers hands-on exposure to organising high-level sporting and fitness events, with participation recognised through Fit India certificates. It represents a structural addition to the movement — shifting from passive participation to active youth ownership of fitness infrastructure.

Regular participant Rohit Dwivedi said cycling alongside Armed Forces members and hearing accounts of Kargil heroes made him 'emotional' and deepened his sense of responsibility as a young Indian.

About the Initiative

The Fit India Movement, launched by the Government of India, encourages citizens to adopt active lifestyles. The 'Sundays on Cycle' initiative was envisioned by Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and is organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of India, Raahgiri Foundation and MY Bharat across states and Union Territories. This edition — the 83rd — is notably the first to coincide with a structured volunteer certification programme, marking an institutional step forward for the movement.