To reduce environmental pollution and promote fitness awareness among citizens, Kolkata is all set to host its first-ever “Kolkata Cyclothon 2025” on Sunday. Organized by the Lohiya Foundation, the event is being held under the Fit India Movement and supported by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
পরিবেশ সচেতনায় তিলোত্তমায় প্রথম সাইকেল ম্যারাথন, অংশগ্রহণে ছোট থেকে বড়
The grand cycling event will begin at SAI Grounds near the Bypass at 3:45 a.m. and will feature around 3,500 participants. The competition has been divided into five categories—5 km, 10 km, 25 km, 50 km, and 70 km. The event will kick off with the flag-off of the 70 km race at 4:30 a.m. Participants include people of all ages and professions—school and college students, working professionals, and senior citizens—all taking part with great enthusiasm.
Lakshan Dongari, Assistant Director of SAI Kolkata, said, “Cycling isn’t just for athletes; it’s essential for everyone to stay fit. That’s why we’ve organized this Cyclothon. The response has been fantastic, and we hope to make this an annual event.”
Race Director and IPS officer Krishna Prakash stated, “Cycling is not just an exercise—it’s an important solution to many of our environmental and social problems. It helps reduce carbon footprints, eases traffic congestion, solves parking issues, and improves public health. In urban areas where cycling has declined, our goal is to bring people back to the joy of cycling.”
Rakesh Das, a participant in the 70 km race, shared, “An event like this has never happened in Kolkata before. Bringing the whole city together through cycling is a remarkable initiative. I hope more categories will be added in the future and that cycling will become even more popular here.”
Meanwhile, Kavya Gupta, who is competing in the 25 km race, said, “Such initiatives are much needed in Kolkata. Today’s generation needs to step away from screens and come out onto the field. In other countries, people take pride in using bicycles—India too needs to embrace that awareness.”