MUMBAI: NDTV and Nirmal Lifestyle have launched the "Fit India Movement", a deal brokered by Total Sports Asia. This is a long-term campaign to change the way India thinks about fitness and inspire Indians to become a healthier nation, the company said.

The mission of the campaign is ‘Marks for Sports‘, which aims to develop fitter, active and healthier lifestyles for the youth of today. The core belief of this campaign lies within the premise that if schools and more importantly, different boards of education include Sports as a part of the main curriculum, then parents, as well as children, will devote more time to sports, setting them on the path of a lifetime of fitness.  
     
  To launch the initiative, development and campaign ambassador Ranbir Kapoor joined NDTV chairman Prannoy Roy and Nirmal Lifestyle chairman and MD Dharmesh Jain in New Delhi. Also present at the launch were former cricketer MAK Pataudi, Olympic boxer Vijender Singh, India‘s Football Captain Baichung Bhutia, Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Gagan Narang and seven times World Billiards and Snooker Champion Pankaj Advani.

The year-long ‘Marks for Sports‘ campaign aims to reach out to policy and decision makers across the country with a series of activities. These will include special televised debates and discussion programmes with the campaign ambassador, televised interactive ground activities with sportspersons and children and a signature drive asking for policy changes with pledges for donations and equipment. Also included will be a school connect program, to motivate and encourage students and their parent to accept Sports as part of the main curriculum.

TSA Group CEO Marcus Luer said, " Marks for Sports has the potential to kick off a sports revolution in India as it‘s targeted at the three most important constituents who decide a young Indian athlete‘s development: relevant Indian legislative authorities , school authorities and most importantly parents."