Fit India to Organise Kashmir to Kanyakumari Cycling Expeditions

SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Employment, will flag off two nationwide cycling expeditions under the Fit India initiative from October 31, 2025, to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Titled “Iron Wheels of Unity,” the expeditions will cover both the northern and eastern corridors of India, promoting national unity, physical fitness, and environmental consciousness.

The Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) expedition will begin in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on October 31 and conclude in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, on November 16. Covering a distance of 4,480 kilometres, the route will pass through Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. A total of 150 cyclists will participate, symbolising a tribute to Patel’s 150th birth anniversary.

Mountaineer Nisha Kumari, who summited Mount Everest in 2023 and previously cycled from India to London to spread the message “Change before climate change,” will lead the K2K expedition.

The second leg, Pedal to Plant, will commence from Pangsau in Arunachal Pradesh and end in Mundra, Gujarat, on December 31, covering 4,000 kilometres across Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. The participants will plant one lakh saplings along the route and hold climate and fitness awareness sessions at educational institutions.

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Labour and Employment, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, extended his best wishes to the participants, calling the initiative a “tribute to our great freedom fighter and statesman Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.” He added that the campaign aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a fitter and healthier India. “Cycling is a great way to maintain fitness and is a solution to pollution. I would urge every Indian to take up cycling and dedicate at least 30 minutes to one hour towards their own fitness,” Mandaviya said.

An extension of the Fit India Sundays on Cycle movement launched earlier by Dr Mandaviya, the Iron Wheels of Unity initiative aims to reduce carbon emissions by more than 100,000 kilograms. The expeditions underscore Fit India’s broader goal of integrating fitness with environmental sustainability and fostering a culture of health and unity across the nation.