Puducherry, Dec 21 (NationPress) - The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, shared a brief overview of the year's achievements, stating: “Over 2 lakh locations, more than 20 lakh people. One Mission - Fit India. Celebrating 1 year of #SundaysOnCycle,” he announced on X this Sunday morning.

More than 1,500 cyclists from various backgrounds, including school students, NaMo Cycling Clubs, and students from Puducherry University, converged at the picturesque Rock Beach in Puducherry, turning it into a vibrant fitness festival. This event underscores the escalating importance of cycling on a national scale.

Renowned awardees like Padma Bhushan and Khel Ratna winners, P R Sreejesh and Sharath Kamal, participated in the ride, motivating attendees to adopt sports and fitness into their lives.

The first anniversary celebration of Fit India Sundays on Cycle in Puducherry was marked by an energetic fitness festival featuring a variety of engaging activities such as Zumba, carrom, chess, mallakhamb, silambam, yoga, and rope skipping. Coinciding with World Meditation Day on December 21, the event emphasized that fitness is fundamentally Meditation in Motion.

The gathering saw the presence of Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Legislative Assembly Speaker R. Selvam, Puducherry Home Minister A. Namassivayam, and other distinguished officials, alongside Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who inaugurated the initiative in New Delhi a year prior.

Mandaviya addressed the audience, reflecting on how Fit India Sunday on Cycle has evolved from its modest beginnings into a widespread movement across the nation.

“When this initiative was launched a year ago, it was held at just five venues with around 500 participants. Today, over 10,000 locations across the country participate every Sunday, with more than 10 lakh citizens regularly joining. It has become a passion, a culture, and a powerful solution for pollution. Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi has played a crucial role in transforming this movement into a national campaign against obesity,” he remarked.

Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan of Puducherry described the initiative as a timely call for societal change.

“In Mandaviya’s village of Bhavnagar, Gujarat, with only 4,000 residents, everyone uses cycles for commuting, with no two-wheelers or four-wheelers. We often overlook how small lifestyle changes can collectively impact the environment, especially in terms of lowering our carbon footprint,” he noted.

Chief Minister N. Rangasamy praised the Fit India Movement for making fitness accessible to all. “Cycling is among the simplest and most effective ways to maintain health. Only when our bodies are fit can we reach our aspirations in life. I truly commend the Prime Minister’s vision behind the entire Fit India movement,” he affirmed.

Today, over 10,000 locations nationwide hosted events organized by the Sports Authority of India and Khelo India centers. Events were held in diverse places such as Hazaribagh, Kargil, Patiala, Lucknow, Golaghat, Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, Hisar, Tinsukia, Visakhapatnam, Kashipur in Uttarakhand, Cuttack, and many more, with various banks across the country serving as special partners.

Among the attendees were celebrated archers Jyothi Surekha and Abhishek Verma, both Arjuna Award winners from SAI Sonipat. NaMo Fit India Cycling clubs and My Bharat volunteers have significantly bolstered the Sundays on Cycle initiative.

The Puducherry event also marked the launch of the highly anticipated Fit India Mobile App Carbon Credit Incentivization, aimed at rewarding cycling enthusiasts. The top three cyclists who accrued the highest carbon credits - Bharatbhai Parmar, Shashikant Veerkar, and Govind Singh - were recognized during the event.

Cyclists can now earn carbon credits through their cycling efforts, which can be redeemed later. “From now on, every month, cyclists from each State and Union Territory will be tracked via the Fit India mobile app, and the top three performers will receive rewards. This initiative aims to encourage and motivate citizens to adopt cycling as a daily routine,” Mandaviya highlighted.

Fit India Ambassadors and Influencers who have been instrumental in supporting 'Sundays on Cycle' were acknowledged, including Nidhi Nigam, Aishwarya Raj (Champion), along with Ambassadors Dr. Shikha Gupta, Yukti Arya, mountaineer Divya Arul, and Tamil Nadu Cycling State champion Siva Senthil.

Indian hockey’s Sreejesh, known as 'the wall,' encapsulated the essence of the cycling movement.

“Fitness is not solely about training for medals; it is about instilling discipline and balance in daily life. Cycling is a straightforward habit, yet when adopted collectively, it fosters a healthier society and a stronger nation. I am pleased that the Union Sports Minister's Fit India Sundays on Cycle initiative has evolved into a people's movement, encouraging families, youth, and professionals to participate with enthusiasm,” the Padma Bhushan awardee expressed.

As cyclists journeyed along Puducherry's stunning coastline, the anniversary celebration clearly indicated that Sundays on Cycle has transitioned from a mere event into a nationwide movement advocating fitness, sustainability, and community engagement across India.