Express News Service

The first day of the year 1977 brought with it a son to a farmers family in Rajpura district of Rajasthans city of Sikar. The son would grow up not only to become a physician, a sportsperson and a politician but also a soldier.

Watching his father, Gulab Chand, and family work relentlessly, sometimes for 14-16 hours a day, to earn a decent living, made the young boy understand the value of hard work, something which he didnt forget ever.

My parents have been my mentors. I get inspired watching their passion for environment, animals and farming, says Major (Dr) Surendra Poonia who not only happens to be a Special Forces officer in the Indian Army but also an international athlete and the first Indian to have won medals in powerlifting and athletic events in four consecutive world championships. A part of sports and active nutrition brand, Fast&Ups 30-day #StepChallenge, the founder of Soldierathon talks to us about the importance of fitness. Excerpts:

How did you become a part of the 30-day #StepChallenge?

It was started to make people aware about the importance of active and healthy lifestyle. I wanted to do something which is easy to follow and everyone can participate in. With #StepChallenge, all you need to do is walk and record the number of steps you take every day.

The fact is that urban India is getting inactive due to hectic daily life and introduction of modern budgets. They are walking averagely less than 8,000 steps per day. As per latest research, these number of steps are not sufficient to lead a healthy life. Self-care and health is not a weekend thing. Self-care needs to be included in our daily routine and this challenge is a step in that direction.

By when do you think will India be a healthy and happy nation?

India is moving in the direction of a healthy nation. I believe being happy is a state of mind that will happen, when you are healthy! For me, happiness is when I see more people pushing themselves every day to clock more steps, the discipline with which a lot of people are participating every day. I feel proud of the community this challenge has been able to make and even more happy that I am a part of it. I cannot wait to have more active Indians be a part of this fit Bharat Army!

Having won medals globally for various sports, how do you see the nations progress in sports today?

We still have a long way to go. We need the right infrastructure to make our sportspersons shine at the world level. But the good thing is we are moving in the right direction to hone the talent of our nation.

A soldier, a politician, a sportsperson and a physician which role do you cherish the most and why?I truly believe I am and will always be a soldier first. The Indian Army has given me everything that has skilled me to do the rest to the best of my abilities. I will continue to serve my nation in whatever capacity, till my last breath.

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Ticking all boxes of a healthy life - The New Indian Express