The North News
Chandigarh, May 26
On a sun-dappled Sunday morning in Chandigarh, the quiet lanes of Sector 27 came alive with the rhythmic hum of bicycle wheels and cheerful voices. More than a hundred cyclists — including toddlers, young riders, and older participants — joined the ‘Sunday on Cycle’ initiative, organised under the national Fit India Movement. The event, co-hosted by the Sports Authority of India’s Northern Centre and the Chandigarh Press Club, reflected a wide spectrum of ages and abilities, underscoring the campaign’s inclusive message
Billed as Sunday on Cycle, the event was anything but a race. It was, rather, a celebration — of movement, of community, and of a shared belief that staying active shouldn’t come with an expiry date. The youngest rider, just five years old, shared the road with septuagenarians who showed no signs of slowing down.
The initiative was jointly organised by the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) Northern Centre and the Chandigarh Press Club. In a nod to its growing popularity and national relevance, officials from SAI also turned up in cycling gear, joining the ride shoulder to shoulder with members of the press.
The route — a leisurely circuit through the tree-lined lanes of Sector 27 — began at the Chandigarh Press Club. Narinder Sharma, the club’s manager, flagged off the group, while SAI’s Deputy Director Lalit Lohani stood by in support. The setting, informal yet purposeful, underscored the event’s broader message: fitness is not an elite pursuit; it’s a daily commitment.
The ride was part of SAI’s wider campaign, ‘Fitness ka dose, aadha ghanta roz’, which advocates for at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. It’s a message that’s found resonance not just in metros but in towns and cities where sedentary lifestyles have become the norm.
If the pedalling was about purpose, the post-ride breakfast was about reward. Cyclists, still flushed from the morning’s effort, gathered at the Press Club for a relaxed breakfast — a fitting conclusion to a morning that had already fed the spirit.
In an age of high-performance sports and competitive metrics, Sunday on Cycle was a refreshing return to the basics: a community on wheels, proving that sometimes, the best victories are quiet, shared, and pedal-powered.
