Indian archery stars and real-life couple Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das, along with a host of Olympians and Arjuna Awardees from Bengal, gathered at the Sports Authority of India’s Kolkata Regional Centre to take part in the special year-ending edition of the nationwide fitness initiative.
The 54th edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle turned into a colourful, carnival-like celebration as nearly 1,500 citizens assembled at the SAI campus. The event saw an exceptional turnout of cycling enthusiasts, including elite athletes, corporate professionals, students, CISF personnel, employees from insurance companies who were special partners for the edition, and people across all age groups. The venue came alive with movement, music and a strong sense of community spirit.
The cycling rally was flagged off by Olympians and Arjuna Awardees Deepika Kumari, Joydeep Karmakar and Mangal Singh Champia, setting the stage for an energetic winter morning focused on fitness and active living. Arjuna Awardees Atanu Das, Rahul Banerjee, Bombayla Devi Laishram and Susmita Singha Roy were also present to lend their support.
Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee Deepika Kumari spoke about the significance of making fitness a daily habit, stressing that physical strength and energy are vital not just for athletes but for everyday life as well. She urged people to practise fitness beyond designated days. “We have to do this every day and I’m so happy to see over 1500 people join in today,” Deepika said.
Former shooter and Olympian Joydeep Karmakar highlighted how initiatives like Sundays on Cycle are helping people reduce screen time and build disciplined fitness routines. “A transformation starts with our simple behaviours – everyone here has turned their attention from phones and have become busy with their cycles,” he said.
He further added, “Everything falls in place when we get disciplined about fitness. It’s a good excuse for us to be here today, joining amidst this winter chill. In the last one year, over 20 Lakh people nationwide have joined in, and from now on, this movement will become even bigger.”
Apart from cycling, participants were treated to energetic Zumba sessions, soulful Bengali folk music, yoga displays, rope-skipping demonstrations and several other fitness activities, keeping the momentum high despite the winter cold.
Dronacharya Awardee Dr. Kuntal Roy expressed gratitude to the Sports Authority of India and the Fit India programme, underlining the importance of holistic well-being. “I thank SAI and the Fit India program for this initiative. The concept of fitness is the key of life. Mental and physical fitness rules our whole life. Therefore, we have to keep ourselves fit through various programs on fitness like Sundays on Cycle,” the former SAI chief athletics coach said.
During the event, 10 local cycling clubs and state cycling champions were felicitated, along with Fit India ambassadors and champions including Kanthi Dutt, Garima Diwakar, Manas Saha and Raima Majumder.
Simultaneously, similar events were organised at over 10,000 locations across India at SAI and Khelo India centres. Training centres in Ludhiana, Rajnandgaon, Dharamsala, Kokrajhar, Hazaribagh, Golaghat and several other cities hosted cycling rallies. In Bikaner, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal also took part in the event.
Launched in December 2024 by Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Fit India Sundays on Cycle has grown into a people-led movement promoting weekly fitness and environmentally friendly mobility. So far, more than 20 lakh participants from over two lakh locations have joined the initiative. The programme is organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of India, Yogasana Bharat and MY Bharat.
