Paes, Gopichand join sports minister Mandaviya for 56th edition of ''Sundays on Cycle'' initiative

New Delhi, Jan 11 (PTI) Tennis legend Leander Paes and badminton great Pullela Gopichand joined sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya for the 56th edition of 'Sundays on Cycle', which is a fitness initiative of the sports ministry, here.

Fit India’s flagship mass fitness movement 'Sundays on Cycle' (SoC), made a comeback to the national capital on Sunday. More than 1000 people, including 500 young leaders from across the country, participated in the fitness festival, followed by a Cycle Rally, beating the 6 degree winter cold at 7am.

The young leaders, who were here to participate in the three-day Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, a national platform meant to identify and promote youngsters who want to be part of public life, took part as special invitees.

The Sundays on Cycle was held across 15000 locations, with Bhopal organising a mega event which was graced by Madhya Pradesh’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Vishvas Kailash Sarang, who flagged off the cycling rally alongside actress Payal Rohatgi and a distinguished line-up of athletes, including Olympian judoka Garima Choudhary.

“A healthy body is the foundation of strong leadership. Cycling teaches us powerful leadership lessons—it tells us when to pedal fast, when to slow down, and most importantly, how to maintain balance to keep moving forward in life," said Mandaviya here.

Appreciating the Minister's vision of launching the Sundays on Cycle initiative, Gopichand said, "It is motivating to see a Minister not just putting so much thought to make fitness a part of everyday life, but also leading the entire movement from the front. The fact that he himself participates in this event on Sunday morning after a hard week's work speaks volumes about his commitment to creating a Fit India." "Today we have fun on our fingertips so we have forgotten to have fun in nature, to step out and be part of the outside world, so I appreciate those who have turned up here today." Speaking about the importance of creating community fitness campaigns such as Fit India, Paes said, "No one can do fitness alone, you need to motivate each other and be part of the community because fitness is not just about having a strong body but also a fit mind which can be achieved when we participate in community events as this one.

"I congratulate the Sports Minister Sir for creating something so unique, and to think this is happening parallely across the country, it's phenomenal." Adding to the festive atmosphere, the morning featured an enthusiastic Zumba session, calming yoga practices, and captivating electric Mallakhamb and rope-skipping performances by athletes, drawing loud applause from the crowd.

Fit India Ambassadors Timsy Bector and Divya Ahuja also shared important fitness tips for winter, stressing on the need for continued exercises and easy warm-ups at home, even for those who are aged and cannot step out of home.

In Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Sports Minister Vishvas Kailash Sarang echoed the mantra of 'Fit India, Hit India' given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I congratulate the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Sports Authority of India for giving out the nationwide message of fitness through this cycling movement," he said.

More than 1500 people participated in the Bhopal event. PTI PDS PDS ATK