NEW DELHI: More than 96,700 young people participated in nationwide cyclothons, walkathons and other awareness activities organised by MY Bharat and the National Service Scheme (NSS) on October 30 and 31 under the Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat – 100 Week Sankalp Abhiyan, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports said on Saturday.
The activities were conducted during the campaign’s seventh week across more than 200 institutions under the second-month theme, “Fit Youth, Addiction-Free Youth (Shakti evam Seva)”. The initiative aimed to promote physical fitness, healthy lifestyles and community service while raising awareness about the harmful effects of substance abuse.
NSS units organised cycle rallies covering 10 to 15 kilometres, while walkathons and runs covered distances of three to five kilometres. The walkathons and runs collectively recorded more than 23,300 participants, while over 8,000 young people took part in cyclothons.
The activities also saw participation from school units, women’s groups and senior citizens, with organisers encouraging wider community involvement in the campaign.
Beyond fitness activities, volunteers used street plays, slogan-writing exercises and musical performances to engage communities on issues related to substance abuse, peer pressure and recovery. Street plays engaged more than 5,600 participants and members of the public, while slogan-writing and musical activities recorded over 11,800 participants.
Environmental responsibility was also incorporated through plogging drives, which combined jogging and walking with cleanliness activities along rally routes. More than 11,400 young people participated in these drives, collecting litter and handing over segregated waste to local civic bodies.
The activities concluded with a collective Nasha Mukt Sankalp, in which nearly 26,000 participants and community members pledged their commitment to an addiction-free society.
The campaign also received digital support, with youth ambassadors sharing photographs and videos of the activities on Instagram using the hashtag #NashaMuktYuva.
According to the ministry, the week-long intervention was aimed at strengthening youth-led community mobilisation by linking fitness, environmental responsibility and public participation with the broader vision of a Nasha Mukt Bharat and Viksit Bharat.
