CISF Vande Mataram Coastal Cyclothon 2026 flagged off from New Delhi

Key facts

• The CISF Vande Mataram Coastal Cyclothon 2026 was virtually flagged off from Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi.
• Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai inaugurated the event as Chief Guest.
• Two CISF cycling teams started simultaneously from Bakkhali, West Bengal and Lakhpat, Gujarat, covering 6,500 km across nine coastal States and two Union Territories.
• The Cyclothon will culminate at Kochi on 22 February 2026.
• Fifty percent of the participating cyclists are women.
• The initiative commemorates 150 years of 'Vande Mataram'.
• CISF has been designated as the Recognised Security Organisation (RSO) under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
• The Cyclothon aligns with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of 'SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region'.
• CISF will adopt 52 coastal villages for year-long engagement and welfare activities.
• Major public events will be held in Mumbai, Goa, Mangaluru, Konark, Visakhapatnam and Chennai.