Mandaviya to Lead Nationwide 62 Fit India Cycle Ride with ESIC
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya will lead the 62nd edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle on February 22, 2026, in collaboration with the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation. The event will celebrate India being awarded the hosting rights for the Commonwealth Games 2030 in Ahmedabad and will also advance the country’s bid for the 2036 Olympic Games.
Dr Mandaviya will lead a large group of cyclists from the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi. He will be joined by Olympic bronze medallist Rupinder Pal Singh and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Rohit Tokas. Dedicated zones for yoga, rope-skipping and Zumba will be set up to encourage participation across age groups, including children.
The nationwide initiative, launched in 2019 under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, promotes fitness, environmental consciousness and sustainable mobility as a jan andolan. It has engaged more than 25 lakh citizens across over 2 lakh locations, with support from the Cycling Federation of India, Indian Rope Skipping Federation, Yogasana Bharat, Raahgiri Foundation, MY Bikes and MY Bharat. The initiative is conducted across all States and Union Territories through Sports Authority of India centres and Khelo India facilities.
Dr Mandaviya said hosting the Commonwealth Games 2030 after a gap of 20 years is a moment of pride for the country. He said the government remains committed to transforming Bharat into a sports powerhouse through reforms, infrastructure development, talent identification and athlete nurturing to realise the Prime Minister’s vision of hosting the 2036 Olympics. He added that events such as Fit India Sundays on Cycle reflect the emphasis on building a fit and active Bharat through mass participation, which is integral to the sporting ecosystem.
The Government of Gujarat has allocated a sports-focused budget to develop Ahmedabad as a world-class Sports City, viewing the 2030 Games as a milestone for Viksit Bharat in urban infrastructure and capacity building.
Previous editions of the initiative have seen participation from personnel of the Indian Army, CRPF, ITBP, PSUs, the GST Council and the Physical Education Foundation of India, with support from sportspersons including The Great Khali, Lovlina Borgohain, Priyanka Goswami, Rani Rampal, Deepika Kumari, Atanu Das, and Paris Paralympics medallists Nitesh Kumar, Manisha Ramadass, Rubina Francis and Simran Sharma. Film personalities Ayushmann Khurana, Rohit Shetty, Saiyami Kher, Sharvari, Amit Sial, Rahul Bose, Madhurima Tuli, Mia Maelzer and Gul Panag have served as Fit India Icons.
Olympic bronze medallist Rupinder Pal Singh, who has earned 223 international caps and scored 125 goals, won bronze at Tokyo 2020, gold at the 2014 Asian Games, bronze at the 2018 Asian Games, silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and multiple podium finishes at FIH events, while Rohit Tokas, a bronze medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, mentors young athletes through the Tokas Boxing Club.
