Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya led the 88th edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle event at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, which was organized in collaboration with BRICS as part of the BRICS Run & Ride 2026 initiative. The event featured participation from Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir, wrestler Sangram Singh, and actor Madhurima Tuli, along with over 5,000 participants including youth, senior citizens, and representatives from BRICS partner countries.
The event was simultaneously held at more than 25,000 locations across India, marking a significant milestone for the weekly cycling movement. Dr. Mandaviya highlighted the special significance of this edition as India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam on September 12-13, 2026, and noted the three-fold benefits of cycling: fitness improvement, pollution reduction, and traffic congestion easing.
Diplomatic representatives from several BRICS partner nations participated, including officials from Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Belarus, Cuba, Ethiopia, and Russia. Senior government officials present included Shri Hari Ranjan Rao (Secretary, Department of Sports), Shri Sunil Paliwal (Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs), and Shri Sudhakar Dalela (Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs). The event featured an ITBP brass band performance and was organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of India, Raahgiri Foundation, and MY Bharat, conducted across all States and Union Territories through the SAI and Khelo India network. This content may not be financially relevant.