India will celebrate National Sports Day 2025 from August 29 to 31. Led by sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the three-day nationwide campaign under the Fit India Mission will promote sports and fitness. The celebrations will honour hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.
Several states and union territories, including Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi, have launched preparations for the event.
National Sports Day, observed annually on August 29, marks Dhyan Chand’s birth anniversary. The day has been nationally recognised since 2012 and served as the launch platform for the Fit India Movement in 2019.
This year’s celebrations will follow the theme “Ek Ghanta, Khel ke Maidan Main,” encouraging citizens to dedicate at least 60 minutes a day to physical activity to combat lifestyle diseases. The programme will also promote Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship, and Respect, and Paralympic values of Courage, Determination, Inspiration, and Equality.
Over 35 crore students, youth clubs, volunteers, resident welfare associations, panchayats, urban local bodies, corporates, public sector undertakings, and sports organisations including the Indian Olympic Association, Paralympic Committee of India, National Sports Federations, and the Sports Authority of India are expected to participate.
Medal-winning athletes including Pranav Soorma, Sumit Antil, Shreyasi Singh, Bhavani Devi, and Vishnu Saravanan will join from their hometowns or training bases. Members of Parliament and other public representatives will encourage local participation under the motto “Har Gali, Har Maidan, Khele Saara Hindustan.”
Several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, have already launched sports activities and awareness programmes. Chief ministers across the country are personally monitoring preparations.
The three-day programme will include:
-Day One (Aug 29): Tributes to Dhyan Chand and the Fit India pledge, followed by one hour of sports activities.
-Day Two (Aug 30): Sports debates, fitness talks, and competitions in indigenous and other sports such as kho-kho, kabaddi, volleyball, sack race, and tug of war.
-Day Three (Aug 31): Fit India Sundays on Cycle, promoting cycling as part of daily life.
Activities will cater to all age groups, from children playing traditional games to youth competitions, yoga sessions, cycling rallies, and fitness walks for senior citizens. Schools and institutions are encouraged to use the Fit India Mobile App to track participation.
A National Conclave on Sports Manufacturing will be held under the theme of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and the Fit India App will introduce a carbon savings incentive feature to encourage sustainable habits.
Athletes including Abhinav Bindra, Sunil Chhetri, Murali Sreeshankar, PV Sindhu, Manika Batra, and Mirabai Chanu have urged citizens to join the festivities, making National Sports Day 2025 a nationwide celebration of fitness, sportsmanship, and community engagement.