Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug 20: The Andaman and Nicobar Administration will hold a three-day National Sports Day programme from August 28 to 30, combining inter-departmental and open competitions, inter-school events and public fitness activities across the Islands under the national theme “Khelega Bharat, Jeetega Bharat”.
The Department of Sports & Youth Affairs will organise the celebrations in line with the National Sports Day 2026 Standard Operating Procedure issued under the FIT India initiative. The programme will follow three campaign pillars, “TRIBUTE, PLAY, MOVE”, with each day assigned a specific focus.
National Sports Day is observed annually on August 29 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand.
The first day, August 28, will focus on “TRIBUTE”, with activities aimed at remembering Major Dhyan Chand and highlighting India’s sporting heritage. These may include a floral tribute, sports challenges and interactions with athletes and coaches, along with other activities promoting sporting achievements.
August 29 will form the main National Sports Day observance under the “PLAY” theme and the call “Ek Ghanta Khel Ke Maidan Mein”. Government departments, educational institutions and other organisations will be encouraged to participate in sports and physical activities for at least one hour.
The final day, August 30, will centre on “MOVE” and promote active and sustainable mobility through activities such as cycling rides, walkathons and run-and-ride events, wherever feasible.
The Department has proposed a series of inter-departmental and open sports competitions. Badminton and table tennis competitions will include singles and doubles categories for men, women and veterans under the inter-departmental segment. Open competitions will include volleyball, hockey, road race/marathon and cycling for men and women, along with squash and billiards for men.
The road race/marathon and cycling events will follow the Netaji Stadium–Corbyn’s Cove–Netaji Stadium route. A separate 10-km inter-school road race for boys and girls will also be held on the same route.
Inter-school sports competitions will be conducted in coordination with the Education Department across educational blocks in all three districts of the Islands. Educational institutions have been encouraged to ensure maximum student participation.
Government departments have also been encouraged to organise suitable sporting and physical activities for their officers and employees. They can participate in “Ek Ghanta Khel Ke Maidan Mein” on August 29 through friendly games including badminton, table tennis and volleyball.
The National Sports Day SOP encourages participation by women, youth, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
Members of the public interested in the open competitions can contact the Department of Sports & Youth Affairs for registration and further details.
The Department has also made available online mechanisms for nodal officer registration, access to the National Sports Day 2026 digital toolkit and submission of activity details and post-event reports.
The celebrations are intended to encourage regular participation in sports and physical activity across age groups. Participants have been encouraged to share photographs, reels and short videos on social media using #FitIndiaNSD2026, #KhelegaBharatJeetegaBharat and #FitIndia.
