Ahead of National Sports Day, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday urged people across the country to dedicate one hour to fitness and play. National Sports Day is observed every year on August 29 to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.
The minister said this year’s celebrations will be led by the Fit India Mission as part of a three-day pan-India sports movement from August 29 to 31. The initiative aims to promote mass participation in fitness activities, with programmes planned across districts, schools, universities, workplaces and residential communities.
“The National Sports Day is celebrated in the honour of our hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand ji. This time we are organising a three-day celebration from August 29 to 31. I would urge all citizens to dedicate ‘Ek ghanta khel ke maidaan mein’. Only healthy citizens can build a prosperous nation,” Mandaviya said.
The minister added that the programme is aligned with India’s vision of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036. “We want to show that sports in India are rapidly evolving into a people’s movement,” he said.
Tributes to Major Dhyan Chand will be held nationwide on August 29, followed by Fit India carnival-style events on August 30 featuring talks, debates and competitions. On August 31, the ‘Sundays on Cycle’ campaign will be organised across the country to promote cycling as a sustainable fitness habit.
India’s first Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra and footballer Sunil Chhetri have also appealed to people of all ages to take part in the celebrations.
Mandaviya said through initiatives such as Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 and the National Sports Governance Act 2025, the government is working towards making India a global sporting superpower by 2047.
