Shri S. P. Pattnaik, Regional Director, NYKS India today said that Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav - India @ 75 is organizing Fit India Freedom Run 2.0 throughout the country. Taking inspiration from inaugural speech of Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, during the curtain raiser of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav on 12^th March 2021, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has conceptualized celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav under the pillar of Actions and Resolves @ 75.

' Fit India Freedom Run' was conceived last year in the wake of COVID - 19 Pandemic when social distancing became ' new normal ' lifestyle, so as to keep the imperative need of fitness active even while following the social distancing norms, Fit India Freedom Run was launched on the concept of virtual run i.e. ' it can be run anywhere, anytime! You run a route of your choice, at a time that suits you. Basically, you run your own race and time your own pace '.

The first edition of the campaign was organized from 15^th August to 2^nd October, 2020. More than 5 Crore people from Central / State Departments and organizations including Central Armed Forces, NGOs, Private Organizations, Schools, Individuals, Youth Clubs participated and covered around 18 crore kms distance.

This time Fit India Freedom Runs 2.0 will commence on 13^th August 2021 and conclude on 2^nd October 2021. The aim is to encourage people to take up fitness activities such as running and sports in their daily lives and get freedom from obesity, laziness, stress, anxiety, diseases etc. Through this campaign, citizens will be given call to make a resolve to include physical activity of at least 30 minutes daily in their lives "FITNESS KI DOSE AADHA GHANTA ROZ ".

Nationwide programmes will be virtually launched by Hon'ble Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, Sh. Anurag Singh Thakur and Hon'ble Minister of State, Youth Affairs & Sports, Sh. Nisith Pramanik on 13^th August 2021 where organizations like BSF, CISF, CRPF, Railways, NYKS, ITBP, NSG, SSB would also join virtually from Iconic locations across the country. Further, there will be 75 physical events at different historical locations on launch day i.e., on 13^th August 2021.

Hon'ble Minister of Youth Affairs & Sport's quote "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. So, I urge everyone to take part in the nationwide fit India Freedom Run 2.0 and make it a people's movement ".

Subsequently, each week programmes will be held in 75 districts and at 75 villages in each district till 2^nd October 2021. Thus, Fit India Freedom Runs will be organized 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 citizen will be reached to take part in the run.

The key activities of Fit India Freedom Run 2.0 include pledge, rendering of National Anthem, Freedom Run, cultural functions at venues, awareness among Youth Volunteers to participate and also organize similar Freedom Runs in their villages. People can register and upload their run on Fit India portal https://fitindia.gov.in and promote freedom run on their social media channels with # Run4India and #AzadikaAmrit Mahotsav.

Prominent people, Public Representatives, PRI leaders, social workers, sports persons, media personalities, doctors, farmers and Army personnel are being requested to participate, encourage and motivate the people by gracing these events at various levels. Events will be organized physically and virtually all across the country by following the COVID - 19 protocols.

Central Government Ministries, States Governments and other Organizations have been requested to conduct physical / virtual Freedom Run events throughout the campaign till 2^nd October 2021. To make the campaign people driven, efforts are being made to encourage friends, families and peer groups etc to participate in the event in the maximum.

Shri D. Dayanand, State Director, NYKS Karnataka and Mr. Vinay Kumar, District Youth Officer, Nehru Yuva Kendra, Bengaluru Urban were also present.

KYJ/PGP/NR

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