Union Sports Minister, Shri. Mansukh Mandaviya, on 24th October 2024 met with prominent members of the Indian cycling community, FIT India, Cycling Federation of India, BYCS India and the Bicycle Mayors from various cities across India. The meeting focused on discussing the current state of cycling in India and strategizing for its future growth.
The Hon. Minister expressed his strong support for cycling as a sustainable and healthy mode of transportation. He emphasized his commitment towards promoting cycling culture and creating a conducive environment for cyclists.
“From Passion we now have to make cycling a Fashion”, the Hon. Minister stated in his opening remarks. He also urged the cycling community to “Think of creative ways to make use of bicycles in everyday life and make it an attractive proposition.”
While cycling is a livelihood necessity for millions of people across the country, it is fast becoming a health choice for many others, particularly in urban India. Cycling offers personal and environmental health benefits, at a time when lifestyle diseases are a major health concern in India.
According to a report by National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2015-16, 15% of men and 11% of women aged 15–49 were hypertensive. India continues to hold the title of the ‘Diabetes Capital of the World’ and obesity is becoming a silent epidemic. Building in active mobility in your daily routine and finding passion for sports and cycling can go a long way in combating this public health epidemic and combating air pollution through reduced vehicular emissions while encouraging people to take up cycling for shorter distances.
The need of the hour is to make this into a mass cycling movement across the country. Bringing cycling under the purview of FIT India movement would add a unparalleled appeal to children and youth to take up all forms of cycling for health and fitness and build this into a community movement.
Shri. Sandeep Rana, Director, FIT India Movement presented the plan for cycling advocacy under the initiative and invited the Bicycle Mayors, Community Leaders, Cycling Influencers and experts to collaborate under the FIT India Movement and work together.
He invited suggestions from the delegates physically present at the meeting and from those who joined virtually and heard their ideas.
The round-table meet concluded with a positive outlook for the future of cycling in India. The participants expressed their gratitude to the Sports Minister for his support and pledged to work together to make India a cycling nation.
Dr. Bhairrvi Joshi, Director & CEO, BYCS India Foundation “From children cycling to school, street vendors carrying their goods, to the iconic dabbawalas of Mumbai, cycling has always been integral to our everyday lives. And it’s not just about getting from one place to another – it’s about maintaining our health, embracing sustainability, and staying connected to our communities.”
Santhana Selvan, Bicycle Mayor of Hyderabad “Hon. Minister’s efforts to bring the cycling community under the ambit of the FIT India Movement is inspiring. For people like us who champion the cycling uptake on the ground, such support is always helps as guiding light and encouragement to continue our work creating a mass cycling movement.”
Chirag Shah, Bicycle Mayor of Thane, Mumbai “As a Bicycle Mayor my dream is to see all the kids in the country can cycle to school without any parents’ worrying about their kid’s safety and I am happy that Sports Ministry to bring cyclists under the umbrella of the FIT India movement and aim to increase the ridership in the country by making cycles as a fashionable and healthier option.
Dalip Sabharwal, Bicycle Mayor of Delhi “Our everyday ride can become an awareness campaign if we put a small message in front of our bicycles. As a passion, cycling will remain limited to us but if it becomes a fashion, it will go generation to generation.”
Vijay Malhotra, Cycling Blogger and Youtuber “Digital campaigns like ‘Har Ghar Cycle’ ( A cycle in every home) can help in accelerating the growth of cycling in India making them especially popular with children and the youth. Support from the Ministry could help immensely boost nation-wide adoption of bicycles at a rapid pace. I am confident that with the unwavering support from the government and the cycling community, together we will be able to make India a cycling paradise”
About BYCS India Foundation:
With the growing momentum of cycling in India, the BYCS India Foundation was launched in 2021 to shape a collective movement of cycling-driven change from the ground up. We work to strengthen the human infrastructure of cycling cities by supporting community initiatives, promoting a culture of active mobility and inspiring new citizens to take up the bicycle for daily trips.
We achieve this through strategic communications and research, inspirational urban activations, stimulation programs and network building.
For Press enquiries, write to matrushri@bycs.org
Call: +91 78383 33985
Follow BYCS India on Social Media:
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn: @BYCSIndia
Source and photo credits: BYCS India Foundation
You might also like to read: RURAL CYCLING TO SCHOOL DOUBLES IN INDIA: NEW STUDY
Support this Blog, Buy me a Coffee
Follow this blog on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads
Author: Vijay Malhotra, Mumbai
3 thoughts on “HONORABLE SPORTS MINISTER OF INDIA MANSUKH MANDAVIYA MEETS BICYCLE MAYORS AND CYCLING COMMUNITY LEADERS TO BOOST INDIA’S CYCLING MOVEMENT”