New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) today announced the launch of the ‘NaMo Yuva Run – For a Nasha Mukt Bharat’, a nationwide youth mobilisation and fitness campaign aimed at promoting a drug-free India.
The initiative forms a part of the annual Seva Pakhwada (September 17 to October 2). The campaign, being organised to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17, is expected to engage over 10 lakh young participants across 100 locations in the country.
The campaign was formally launched here by Tejasvi Surya, National President of BJYM and Member of Parliament from Bangalore South, in the presence of union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, and fitness advocate Milind Soman, who has been appointed the National Run Ambassador for the event.
As part of the launch ceremony, the official campaign logo, mascot, T-shirt, and registration portal (www.namoyuvarun.com) were unveiled. BJYM officials said the event symbolises a broader youth movement that integrates fitness, civic responsibility, and substance abuse awareness under a common platform.
“Fitness is the foundation of a strong nation,” said Mandaviya, noting that youth-led initiatives such as the NaMo Yuva Run serve to “encourage a lifestyle rooted in discipline and wellbeing, which are essential for national development.”
The event is scheduled to culminate on September 21, when BJYM will coordinate 100 simultaneous runs across urban and semi-urban centres. Each event is expected to draw a minimum of 10,000 participants, making it one of the largest coordinated youth fitness campaigns undertaken by a political youth wing in India.
Addressing the gathering, Tejasvi Surya said the run is intended not merely as a fitness activity, but as a youth mobilisation strategy aligned with the broader vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, as articulated by the Prime Minister. He added that the initiative “seeks to inspire collective youth action against addiction, while reinforcing the role of fitness and civic discipline in nation-building.”
In a lighter moment during the launch, Milind Soman invited participants to take part in a push-up challenge and take selfies with those who completed it.
Amandeep Singh, National Media In-Charge, BJYM, said the NaMo Yuva Run is part of a broader slate of programmes under Seva Pakhwada, observed annually to commemorate the birth anniversary of the Prime Minister.
The campaign will be followed by further youth-focused initiatives spanning public health, environmental awareness, and community outreach, he said. Sing added that citizens across India are being exhorted to register for the campaign and contribute to the movement towards a healthier, addiction-free India
