July 2025 — In a landmark discussion held at GVM College, Ponda, senior journalist and former sports administrator Jovito Lopes stressed that exercise and physical activity are not just lifestyle choices, but now officially national priorities, embedded deeply in the National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025.
The event, hosted by Karuna Football Foundation (Ponda) in collaboration with Civitas (Panjim), brought together faculty members of GVM’s Gopal Govind Poy Raiturcar College of Commerce and Economics, Dr Dada Vaidya College of Education, and SNJ Aguiar High School, emphasizing the integration of sports into everyday life.
Lopes explained that Khelo Bharat Niti, as the NSP is also known, seeks to build a physically active society aligned with the goals of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP). The policy promotes grassroots sports, infrastructure development, coaching ecosystems, and most importantly, mass participation in physical activity.
“The link between sedentary lifestyles and chronic diseases is undeniable,” Lopes said, quoting global studies that demonstrate a 39% reduced risk of early death with regular physical activity.
Key stats and messages shared:
- Most adolescents and adults do not meet recommended activity levels.
- Adults (18-64) should engage in 150 to 300 minutes of moderate or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity weekly.
- Regular exercise helps prevent obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and mental decline.
- Daily steps—even modest ones—can significantly reduce the risk of early mortality and cardiovascular events.
Quoting Dr Bert Mandelboum, Lopes added:
“Exercise is probably the most robust drug we have—it leads to longevity.”
Also speaking at the event, Prof Teotone Vaz, Prof Jojen Mathew, Krishna Shetye, Geeta Shastri, and Betty D’Silva endorsed the policy’s grassroots vision and advocated for public fitness infrastructure like open-air gyms in parks.
The takeaway? “It’s never too late to start”—a message that resonated across age groups and institutions.
This session marked an important step in reshaping the role of education institutions in India’s sporting and health future, turning policy into grassroots action.
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