Beijing Olympics gold medallist Abhinav Bindra is set to drive International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) ‘Let’s Move +1’ initiative in India for this year’s Olympic Day (June 23). A vocal advocate of taking sports to grassroots, Bindra will spearhead IOC’s initiative through his Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) that touches over 60,000 schools across Odisha, Assam, and Chandigarh.
As part of the celebrations, over 50 sports venues across India will open their doors to public for free paired sessions in sports such as football, padel, cricket, badminton and pickleball.
“We want to build a culture for movement and physical activity which will eventually become a culture for sport. As part of OVEP, we have introduced two PE classes in each school that we cover and we hope to see a cultural shift in a few years. It won’t happen in a year or two. So far, the response from the parents and teachers have been very encouraging,” Bindra, India’s first individual gold medallist at the Olympics, said.
A key initiative of Abhinav Bindra Foundation, OVEP has touched about 10 million children by enhancing physical activity, gender inclusivity and educational outcomes. To mark the Olympic Day, the students will participate in activities such as paired yoga, group dance sessions, skipping, football, cricket, volleyball and kho-kho along with Olympic-themed arts and crafts.
“Fitness needs to be a fun activity for kids if we want them to stay invested for a long period of time. Therefore, we have tried to make our activities as engaging, as fun as possible for them.”
“Through OVEP and the inaugural Let’s Move campaign, we have witnessed how sport can inspire, uplift and empower the next generation. Let’s Move + 1 carries this spirit forward, reminding us that sport is not just about physical strength, it is about fostering connection, mutual support and a shared sense of purpose,” Bindra added.
Launched in 2023 in collaboration with World Health Organisation, Let’s Move campaign has already engaged over 20 million people in India.
