Former Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu Flags Off The 9th Edition Of World Bicycle Day Celebrations In Hyderabad.

Hyderabad, Telangana, 7th of June, 2026 : The 9th edition of the Mega Cycling Event marking the World Bicycle Day was flagged off by the Hon’ble Former Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, today at the SmartBike Hub at Narsingi on the iconic Outer Ring Road (ORR) Cycling Track. The event was jointly organised by SmartBike Mobility Pvt. Ltd., India’s largest Public Bike Sharing company, and the Hyderabad Bicycling Club (HBC), the world’s largest cycling club online, in association with World Cycling Alliance Brussels.

More than 2,500 enthusiastic cyclists participated in the 5 km and 10 km ride categories in Hyderabad. The occasion held special significance, as Shri Venkaiah Naidu in his capacity as the then Vice President of India, had inaugurated and flagged off India’s first World Bicycle Day celebrations in New Delhi in June 2018.

Among those who graced the event Air Commodore Srinath Pillai, College of Defence Management, Ministry of Defence; Dr. Raches Ella, Director, Bharat Biotech; Mr. D.V. Manohar, Chairman, SmartBike and also Hyderabad Bicycling Club and First Vice President, World Cycling Alliance, Brussels; and Dr. T. Satyanarayana Reddy, President, Hyderabad Bicycling Club.

Speaking on the occasion, Hon’ble Former Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu,  “Cycling for a Green Future” is the theme of this year’s World Bicycle Day. I appreciate SmartBike, Hyderabad Bicycling Club, the World Cycling Alliance, Brussels, the Sports Authority of India, and FIT India for taking this initiative and organizing major cycling events across Hyderabad, New Delhi, and Chandigarh to promote awareness about sustainable and environment-friendly mobility. It is heartening to witness, early this morning, enthusiastic participation from children, youth, women, and senior citizens in the bicycle rally. Cycling not only keeps us healthy, enhances our competitive spirit, and saves money, but also contributes significantly to a cleaner and greener environment. Shri D.V. Manohar and his son Dharmin deserve special appreciation for their relentless efforts in popularizing cycling as both a healthy lifestyle choice and an effective last-mile transport solution. Dharmin, Managing Director of SmartBike, was among a select group of startup founders chosen from over a thousand startups across India by Startup India to directly engage with and provide policy recommendations to our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. Today, environmental protection is a global priority, and we are already witnessing the consequences of ecological imbalance. In this context, cycling is more than a means of transport, it is a commitment to healthier individuals and a healthier planet. As Union Minister for Urban Affairs, I had proposed the development of dedicated cycling tracks in every town and city. I urge all state governments to make cycling infrastructure an integral part of urban planning and to encourage children and youth to embrace this healthy and sustainable habit.

This year’s celebrations are particularly significant as they are being hosted simultaneously in Hyderabad, Chandigarh and New Delhi. In New Delhi, the event was organised in association with the World Cycling Alliance (Brussels), Sports Authority of India, and FIT India, attracting over 5,000 cycling enthusiasts from fitness communities, corporates, educational institutions, families and the general public.

World Bicycle Day celebrations in India commenced in New Delhi in June 2018, coinciding with the United Nations’ inaugural global observance of World Bicycle Day. Over the years, the event has evolved into one of the country’s largest cycling celebrations. The 2026 edition marks its most expansive chapter yet, promoting cycling as a healthy, sustainable and inclusive mode of mobility and lifestyle.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. D.V. Manohar, Chairman, SmartBike and First Vice President, World Cycling Alliance, Brussels, said, After sustained efforts by us on behalf of the World Cycling Alliance, Brussels, and the European Cyclists’ Federation, over several years, the United Nations declared World Bicycle Day in 2018. To commemorate this recognition, we organised the first World Bicycle Day cycling event in New Delhi, which was flagged off by Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, the then Vice President of India. The rally attracted around 5,000 cyclists, making it the largest cycling event held in New Delhi at the time. Since then, the celebrations have been hosted in different cities across India, Chandigarh last year, Chennai the year before, and Hyderabad before that. This year, the event is being celebrated simultaneously in three cities, with approximately 2,500 participants in Hyderabad, over 2,000 in Chandigarh and around 5,000 in New Delhi.

SmartBike is today India’s largest public bike-sharing company and was recognized as the Best Public Bike-Sharing Company in the country by the Hon’ble President of India. Like many nations around the world, India too needs a comprehensive National Cycling Policy. At the direction of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, I drafted a National Cycling Policy and submitted it to the Government of India for consideration. I am confident that the National Cycling Policy will become a reality in the near future. Its implementation will provide a significant boost to cycling across the country, encourage sustainable mobility, and pave the way for a true cycling revolution in India.

The Chandigarh event was flagged off by the Chief Guest Shri H. Rajesh Prasad, IAS, Chief Secretary, Union Territory of Chandigarh, at the historic Government Museum and Art Gallery, today. More than 2,000 cyclists participated in the 5 km and 10 km rides.

Chandigarh occupies a special place in SmartBike’s journey. Its Public Bike Sharing system, comprising 5,000 SmartBikes across 617 stations, including a large fleet of Electric SmartBikes introduced voluntarily. The City received the First Prize in the Mobility and E-Governance category among India’s 100 Smart Cities from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India which was presented by the Hon’ble President of India.

Chief Guests Shri Vikrant Massey, renowned actor and cycling advocate and the Hon’ble Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya; flagged off the New Delhi ride, today at the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The event was held in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India, MyBharat, and the Ministry of Ayush.

SmartBike’s National Contribution

Mr D.V. Manohar said, SmartBike’s efforts towards promoting cycling and sustainable mobility have received recognition at the highest levels of government.

In early 2023, SmartBike was selected by Startup India as one of only a dozen startups from across the country to directly interact with and present policy recommendations to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi.

SmartBike MD Dharmin’s policy recommendations included National Cycling Policy, Dedicated Cycling Tracks, Car Free Zones, Carbon Trading Exchange etc. Link for the same is: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oWoJnsdRGTOICvD2uwnYAko4X8-XdxnV/view

Honourable Prime Minister accepted these recommendations and assured their implementation in due course. Link for the same is: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yX9nRBYHsmUb2RgnNZgyAlBXMJqHlFUF/view?usp=drive_link

Thereafter, as advised by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Hon’ble Union Minister for Sports, SmartBike Chairman Mr. D V Manohar has drafted the National Cycling Policy for India, a comprehensive roadmap aimed at integrating cycling into the country’s urban mobility framework and submitted the same to the Government of India.

About Hyderabad Bicycling Club:

The Hyderabad Bicycling Club (HBC) is a not-for-profit organisation and a Founder Member of the World Cycling Alliance, Brussels. HBC is also an Associate Member of the European Cyclist’s Federation.

About SmartBike:

SmartBike Mobility Pvt. Ltd., India’s largest Public Bike Sharing company, operates across multiple cities with a fleet of over 10,000 bicycles, including Electric SmartBikes, and has been at the forefront of India’s PublicBike Sharing revolution, promoting healthy lifestyles and sustainable urban mobility. 

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