Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday interacted with fitness icons as part of the “Fit India Dialogue” through video conferencing.
Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli and actor-model Milind Soman were also the part of this initiative.
Praising the 55-year-old Milind Soman for his level of fitness, PM said, “Whatever you say your age is – are you really that old or is it something else?”
“Many people ask me, are you 55? They wonder how I can run 500 KM at this age. I tell them my mother is 81. I want to be like her when I reach that age. My mother is an example for me and many others,” Soman replied.
At the interaction, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju also participated. Sports persons including Virat Kohli, Milind Soman, footballer Afshan Ashiq and others interacted with the PM.
Milind Soman pointed out that older generations were used to walking up to 50 KM a day and women in villages still do so for daily chores.
“But in cities we are sedentary. The more we keep sitting, our energy and fitness goes down. It is normal for any person to do 100 KM a day,” he said.
At the interaction, he suggested that to stay fit, everyone could do simple things at home.
“Gyms and machines are not necessary. I can be fit at 8 by 10 foot space in home. You only need mental strength,” he asserted.
Milind Soman asked PM Modi on how he avoided tension. PM replied, “When we serve others instead of ourselves, without any greed but with a sense of duty, then there can be no tension. You instead get more energy. Pratispardha competition is a sign of fitness when it is healthy.”