Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a great interaction with fitness experts and influencers from across the country including Milind Soman during the first anniversary of Fit India Movement.
PM Modi asked a hilarious question to actor Milind Soman — is he really that old? The conversation between PM Modi and Milind Soman was widely praised on social media. PM Modi was seen talking to fitness influencers and top athletes across the nation and Milind Soman was one among them.
During the interaction with sportspersons and fitness icons, PM Modi asked the 55-year-old actor-model, “I am going to ask you an unusual question. Is your age really what online pieces say it is or is it something else?”
Lauding his contribution to the fitness movement in the country, PM Modi said, “You have been a vocal supporter of Make in India. You also have a popular book with Made in India title”.
Soman who is known for his physical prowess could not suppress his laughter at the question. Milind answered, “Lot of people ask me if I am 55 years old and that I have done marathons and can run 400-500 km. I ran from Delhi to Mumbai in 2012. I get asked frequently ‘how can you do that at such an age?’ I tell them that my mother is 81 years old now. I want to be able to do all the things she can do now when I reach her age. My mother is an inspiration for me and for a lot of other people.” He added that his mother and he inspire each other.
“Our country doesn’t have a culture such that everyone has to keep fit to work. Now people are realising that to keep fit and healthy, they need to make efforts. This is a very good thing that the Fit India movement is doing. People have finally started to realise their potential,” he said.
On a lighter note, PM Modi prodded Soman about his age and said: “Whatever you say your age is – are you really that old or is it something else?”
Milind said, “A lot of people ask me the same question about my age. They also ask me how am I able to run such long distances (like from Delhi to Mumbai in 2012) in this age. I tell them – my mother at 81 – is capable of doing all this. She is a huge source of inspiration for me and for many others.”
Soman said that people seem to have forgotten what ‘normal fitness’ is. “I feel as if we have forgotten what normal fitness is. We all know how fit our older generations were. They could walk for 40-50 km. Today also, women walk 40-50 km just to get water. But in urban areas where there is technology and everyone has electricity, people tend to sit a lot. And when people tend to sit a lot, they lose their energy and strength. Running for 100 km is normal fitness.”
He spoke about the Fit India Movement and said that with this, people have started to understand that one needs to actively work towards fitness. “With Fit India Movement, people are slowly understanding what their capability is — not only physical but also mental fitness,” said Soman.
Speaking about his fitness regime, Soman said that he does not go to gyms and does not use machines. “Machines are needed for people in areas like sports but if you want to remain fit in your personal capacity then you can workout at home. You can be fit and healthy with whatever you have.”
Take a look at the video below:
