Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday, 9 August led the 85th edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle from Hanol, Gujarat, anchoring the nationwide event around the theme 'Nasha Mukt Bharat' — a campaign urging India's youth to choose fitness over substance abuse. The initiative, run under the Fit India Movement by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), saw simultaneous cycling drives across all states and union territories.

Scale and Reach of the Movement

Since its launch in December 2024, the Sundays on Cycle initiative has drawn more than 30 lakh participants across India. The 85th edition extended to over 10,000 locations nationwide, with cycling enthusiasts, school and college students, and community groups riding together under the Fit India banner. The programme is organised in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of India (CFI), Raahgiri Foundation, and MY Bharat.

Dr Mandaviya described the initiative as a mass movement, saying, 'I am delighted that the initiative has evolved into a major movement to advance the Prime Minister's Fit India Movement. Young people across more than 10,000 locations nationwide have conveyed the message through cycling…'

Delhi Event: Pledge, Cycling, and Community Sport

In the national capital, the mega event was hosted at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium. By 5:30 AM, more than 1,000 citizens had gathered for yoga and Zumba sessions before embarking on a 5-kilometre cycling ride around India Gate and Kartavya Path. A dedicated game zone offered carrom, chess, ludo, badminton, tug of war, and an obstacle race.

A central highlight was the collective 'Nasha Mukt Bharat' pledge, in which more than 1,000 participants committed to living drug-free lives and inspiring their families and communities to adopt healthier lifestyles.

Voices From the Event

Actor and gymnast Siddharth Nigam, known for his role in Dhoom 3, attended the Delhi ride and said, 'Coming out at 5 AM and seeing people across Delhi cycling with such energy and enthusiasm was a wonderful experience. The Fit India Sundays on Cycle event, with the theme Nasha Mukt Bharat, sends a strong message that we should replace harmful addictions with the addiction to fitness, hard work and achieving our goals… I urge everyone to stay away from drugs, cigarettes and alcohol, take care of their bodies, and dedicate at least 30 minutes every day to fitness. Fitness ka dose, aadhe ghante roz.'

International squash player and Junior National Champion Gurveer Singh — a World Junior team bronze medallist — also praised the drive, saying, 'Fit India and Nasha Mukt Bharat are excellent initiatives to inspire youth towards fitness and away from addictions. Everyone should dedicate at least 30 minutes every day to physical activity.' Singh also commended India's 39-medal performance at the recent Commonwealth Games, calling it 'highly commendable.'

Other special guests included Narendra Kumar, IRS officer and Fit India Ambassador, and Meenal Pathak, Fit India Champion and Zumba instructor.

Infrastructure Behind the Initiative

The cycling drive runs simultaneously at SAI Regional Centres, National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), SAI Training Centres (STCs), Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs), Khelo India Centres (KICs), and thousands of Namo Fit India clubs drawn from cycling groups, schools, and colleges. The programme's reach across institutional sporting infrastructure underlines its positioning as more than a recreational ride — it is now a structured public health outreach effort. With the anti-drug pledge now a centrepiece of each edition, the movement is expected to deepen its community engagement in the months ahead.