Jaisalmer, Oct 31 (PTI) Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday flagged off the 200-km long 'Fit India Walkathon' here on the occasion of National Unity Day, observed to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The event has been organised by Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and will go on for three days in which over 100 ITBP jawans and personnel of various central armed police forces (CAPFs) are walking for over 200-km.

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The walkathon march will continue day and night and will also pass through the dunes of the Thar desert in the area located along the India-Pakistan border.

Sports Minister Rijiju, who walked the first few kilometres of the walkathon, said, "The forces themselves are fit but by walking 200km on the borders of Jaisalmer they aim to motivate every citizen of the country that if they can cover 200km as a walkathon, every citizen can take up fitness in one form or the other."

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Apart from ITBP, the march also has the representation of officials of Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), Rapid Action Force (RAF), Assam Rifles and National Security Guard (NSF).

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)