India is gearing up to celebrate Olympic Day on June 23rd, 2025, with a nationwide campaign spearheaded by Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has joined forces with the Abhinav Bindra Foundation and Reliance Foundation to bring the "Let's Move" campaign back to India in a revamped format known as "Let's Move +1."
The campaign's central theme emphasizes the joy and benefits of exercising together, encouraging people across India to experience how sport can boost both physical and mental well-being. The core message is to invite a friend, family member, or colleague to join in any form of physical activity, highlighting that shared goals, encouragement, and enjoyment make it easier to start and maintain an active lifestyle.
To mark Olympic Day, over 50 sports venues throughout India will open their doors to the public, offering free paired sessions in various sports, including football, padel, cricket, badminton, and pickleball. This initiative aims to provide accessible opportunities for people to experience different sports and find activities they enjoy doing with others.
The "Let's Move +1" campaign addresses a critical issue: a significant portion of the population is not meeting recommended physical activity levels. According to a 2024 World Health Organization (WHO) report, around 50% of Indian adults and 81% of youth worldwide are not active enough for optimal health. Group activities can combat this by motivating individuals to stay active, build a sense of community, and address the growing concern of loneliness.
Abhinav Bindra, a member of the IOC Athletes' Commission and India's first individual Olympic gold medalist, emphasized the power of sport to inspire and empower the next generation. He noted that the "Let's Move +1" campaign builds upon the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) and the inaugural "Let's Move" campaign, reminding everyone that sport is not just about physical strength but also about fostering connection, mutual support, and a shared sense of purpose.
The Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) plays a significant role in this initiative. Through collaborations with the governments of Chandigarh, Odisha, and Assam, the Abhinav Bindra Foundation has already positively impacted over 10 million schoolchildren by promoting physical activity, inclusivity, and learning. This summer, over 12 million children from these regions are expected to participate in paired yoga, group dance, and sports like kho-kho, volleyball, cricket, and football, along with Olympic-themed arts and crafts activities.
Reliance Foundation is also activating its network of schools with "Let's Move" activities and hosting a special event where 1,450 students will celebrate Olympic Day alongside Olympians Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari. Deepika Kumari reflected on the strength and resilience sport has given her and expressed her excitement in inviting young people to move with her and share everything that sport brings.
The "Let's Move" campaign, initially launched in 2023 in collaboration with the WHO, has already reached over 20 million people in India. This year's edition reinforces the IOC's commitment to promoting health and well-being through sport and aims to inspire people to stay active through ongoing activities, resources, and content beyond Olympic Day.
By focusing on the joy of shared movement and leveraging the influence of role models like Abhinav Bindra and Deepika Kumari, the "Let's Move +1" campaign seeks to create a lasting impact on the health and well-being of people across India, fostering a culture where physical activity is a fun, social, and integral part of daily life.
