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Anurag Thakur launches Fit India Freedom Run 2.0 as part of I-Day celebrations
Over the months, it will be organised in 744 districts, 75 villages in each of the 744 districts and 30,000 educational institutions across the country. Through this initiative, more than 7.50 crore youth and citizens will be reached to take part in the run.
Union minister of youth affairs and sports Anurag Thakur on Friday launched the nationwide Fit India Freedom Run 2.0 programme as part of the Independence Day celebrations - Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. The government has lined up series of events around Fit India Freedom Runs 2.0 that will conclude later this year on October 2. The government has organised 75 physical events at different historical locations on launch day, according to the official release by the sports ministry.
Over the months, it will be organised in 744 districts, 75 villages in each of the 744 districts and 30,000 educational institutions across the country. Through this initiative, more than 7.50 crore youth and citizens will be reached to take part in the run.
Thakur urged everyone to participate in the celebrations and make it a "people's movement." "As we celebrate 75 years of Independence, we must resolve for a fit and healthy India because only a fit and healthy India can be a strong India," Thakur also said.
Union minister of the state of the ministry of youth affairs and sports, Nisith Pramanik also joined the launch event.
The event will also see participation from organisations like the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Railways, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Security Guard (NSG), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), virtually from iconic locations across the country.
What is Fit India Freedom Run?
The first edition of 'Fit India Run' was held from August 15 to October 2 in 2020. During the campaign, individuals and organisers registered their runs on the government's Fit India portal after which they were awarded a certificate of participation. According to an official release, more than 5 crore people participated and covered around 18 crore km in 2020.
This year as well participants can register their runs on https://fitindia.gov.in/freedom-run-2.0.
The campaign was first launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 on National Sports Day on August 29 to inspire people to make physical fitness a way of life. The movement aims at behaviour changes from a sedentary lifestyle to a physically active way of day-to-day living for a healthier living.
Through this campaign, the government encourages people to take up fitness activities such as running and sports in their daily lives to avoid obesity, laziness, stress, anxiety, diseases etc. The government has also given a call to citizens to make a resolve to include physical activity of at least 30 minutes daily in their lives.
The campaign also has a "Fitness Pledge" that reads, "I promise to myself that I will devote time for physical activity and sports every day and I will encourage my family members and neighbours to be physically fit and make India a fit nation."
