Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Fit India' Movement' on Thursday, saying the initiative is the need of the hour and will take the country towards a healthier future.
At a colourful ceremony, which included a presentation ofIndia's indigenous martial art forms, dances and sports, Modi said technology has contributed to a sedentary lifestyle.
"Fitnesshas always been an integral part of our culture. But there is indifference towardsfitnessissues now. A few decades back, a normal person would walk 8-10km in a day, do cycling or run," Modi said at the event.
"But with technology, physical activity has reduced. We walk less now and the same technology tells us that we are not walking enough," he added.
Congratulatingthe winners of the national sports awards, Modi said, "Be it boxing, badminton, tennis or any sport, our athletes are giving new wings to our aspirations. Their medals are not just a result of their hard work but also a reflection of a newIndia's confidence."
PTI
At the launch of the Fit India Movement, which he dubbeda mass movement, PM Modi said,“There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs.”
Lifestyle diseases are coming into the picture because of lifestyle disorders whichcan be also be fixed by fixing our lifestyles. There are a lot of diseased that can be cured by making little changes in our lifestyles.
The Fit India Movement is being launched to inspire the nation to bring out those changes.
This isn't a government movement. The government will take it forward as a catalyst agent but in a way, it should become the agenda of every family.
"Fitness is an important part of our way of life but with time, there is a laxity in terms of fitness in our society. There used to be some physical activity and then came technological change. Our physical activity has gone down...Cases of diabetes and hypertension have gone up.
The situation today is that we walk less and the same technology tells us how many steps we've walked. People download fitness apps on their phones and don't even check them later."