PM launches ''Fit India Movement'', says it will lead to healthy future

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Fit India' Movement' on Thursday, saying the initiative is the need of the hour and will take the country towards a healthier future. 

Modi launched the movement on the occasion of National Sports Day—observed to mark the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.

Addressing the crowd at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, the Prime Minister sought a pledge from all of India to make the country ‘Shrestha Bharat’.

The PM said fitness was an integral part of Indian culture.

“Remember, a healthy man leads to a fit society that is the key to the making of Shrestha Bharat. I want everybody to make this fitness awareness programme a part of their life just like the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan,” the Prime Minister said while launching the nationwide programme.

“I want everyone to make this pledge and promise that you will become fit and nudge your family members and your neighbours to become fit. Remember this ‘Main fit toh India fit’,” he added.

The PM added that fitness was the constant when it came to the major icons whether in the field of business, sports or films.

“Look at your icons in either sports, films or business. Most of them are fit and this is no coincidence. If you read about them, you will find that they are focused on fitness. They totally believe in fitness. For proficiency in any profession mental and physical health is a must have and this holds true either in the board room or in Bollywood,” he explained.

“The government is launching this awareness programme but it is you (the citizens) who have to lead this campaign and make it a success. I can say from my personal experience that there is zero investment but the return is massive,” he said.

Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju were present at the launch.

The PM’s speech was preceded by a cultural programme that was split into four segments – Sanskriti, Virasat, Khel and Kala. 

Yoga, traditional martial arts like Kalaripayattu, Bhangra, Bharatnatyam, and ancient sports like wrestling and Kabaddi were performed to showcase the country’s “connect” with being fit.

Movement to fight ‘lifestyle diseases’

Modi highlighted that the need of the hour was to launch this movement as ‘lifestyle disorders’ are leading to heart attacks and diseases like diabetes and hyper-tension amongst the youth.

“Many people download fitness apps that tell them: ‘you are short of completing 5000 steps today’. They think gadgets will make them fit. And after sometime they become lazy and it is back to business,” he said.

“But jokes apart getting fit is the need of the hour because nothing is bigger than one’s health. We are seeing cases of diabetes, hyper-tension in the young population.There have been cases of patients who are only 15-years-old.This is a grim reality. But we should not lose hope.They are called lifestyle diseases because they essentially happen because of lifestyle disorders. A change in your lifestyle like working on your fitness can either cure or keep them at bay,” he said.

“We can change small things in our lifestyle which will be of immense help. For this we have launched this Fit India Movement. This is not a government project but this should become an agenda of all the families. Like we discuss business or your child’s marks on the dinner table, I want family’s physical fitness to become a topic of daily discussion as well.