Fit India Cyclothon gets warm welcome amid biting cold in Kashmir

The cold weather in the Kashmir valley couldn't distract cycling enthusiasts of Srinagar from participating in "Fit India Cyclothon 2020", orgsed by the district administration, in association with the Department of Youth Services and the Sports District, here on Saturday.

A large number of youngsters, irrespective of gender, participated in the Cyclothon, orgsed under Fit India Mission, from Nehru Park to Nishat.

The motive of the showpiece event was to attract the youth towards fitness during winters and give them a platform to go forward in cycling. The event also aimed to help youth stay away from bad activities and motivate them towards sports in the Kashmir valley.

"The main aim of this Cyclothon is to promote fitness under the Fit India movement. We have orgainsed many events in the past and will do so in future. In winters, the race will give a strong message to people to stay fit," District Development Commissioner of Srinagar, Shahid Choudhary, told .

The district administration is planning more such events in the future.

The participants were happy to come out and participate in sporting activities after the COVID-induced lockdown.

"Due to coronavirus there was no sporting action but now we are happy that competitive racing has restarted. These types of Cyclothon help us in our preparation for state and national championships. I feel these events should be conducted at regular intervals," said one of the participants.

Another participant thanked the government for resuming the sporting action and asserted the need for such events in the future.

"These events are helping us in moving forward. I am thankful to the government for resuming the sporting action," the participant said.

The inaugural edition of the Fit India Cyclothon was launched by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju in January 2020 in Panaji, Goa.

This event was orgsed with the aim to get people involved in outdoor activities and to start a cycling culture across the country. It saw the participation of over 35 lakh cyclists from across the country.

( With inputs from ANI )

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