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Bindra to drive IOC's Olympic Day campaign in India

Bindra to drive IOC's Olympic Day campaign in India

Hindustan Times13 hours ago

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. Abhinav Bindra will spearhead IOC's initiative through his Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) that touches over 60,000 schools across Odisha, Assam, and Chandigarh (HT)
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.

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Bindra to drive IOC's Olympic Day campaign in India
Bindra to drive IOC's Olympic Day campaign in India

Hindustan Times

time13 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

Bindra to drive IOC's Olympic Day campaign in India

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. Abhinav Bindra will spearhead IOC's initiative through his Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) that touches over 60,000 schools across Odisha, Assam, and Chandigarh (HT) 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.

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) in collaboration with Abhinav Bindra Foundation and Reliance Foundation will celebrate the Olympic Day on June 23 across the country, with the theme #Let's Move + 1, India ! The theme highlights the joy and motivation of moving together, inviting people across India to experience the power of sport to boost both physical and mental health. The focus will be on the benefits of playing sport or working out with someone else, encouraging people to bring a friend, sibling, colleague, family member. As part of the celebration, 50 sports venues across the country will open their doors to the public for free, with paired sessions in football, padel, cricket, badminton and pickleball. As part of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), schools across the nation can join the movement. Already, over 10 million children have had a positive experience through the OVEP in Chandigarh, Odisha and Assam, through the efforts of Abhinav Bindra Foundation. '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,' said Abhinav Bindra. 'Sport has given me strength, taught me resilience and opened opportunities. It has shown me the value of having someone in your corner, to lift you up, to help you focus, to bring joy to the journey. That is why I am excited to invite young people to move with me, and share everything that sport brings,' said four-time Olympian archer, Deepika Kumari, supported by Reliance Foundation.

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