While not directly tied to Indian Independence Day, plogging—a fitness trend combining jogging and picking up litter—has become a notable movement in India, aligning with the spirit of civic responsibility and national pride often celebrated on August 15. Here’s some trivia about plogging in India, inspired by the Independence Day theme of collective action and nation-building:
Origin in India: Plogging, derived from the Swedish words "plocka upp" (pick up) and "jogga" (jog), was introduced in India around 2017 by Ripu Daman Bevli, known as the "Plogman of India." He started the Ploggers of India movement to combat littering while promoting fitness.
Prime Minister’s Involvement: On October 12, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen plogging at Mamallapuram beach, Tamil Nadu, during a morning walk. He picked up plastic litter for over 30 minutes, promoting the Fit India and Swachh Bharat missions.
Fit India Plog Run: Launched on October 2, 2019 (Gandhi Jayanti), the Fit India Plog Run, supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, covered 50 cities. Ripu Daman Bevli was named the Plogging Ambassador of India, with events collecting significant amounts of litter, like 150 kg in one Delhi run.
Massive Participation: By 2019, plogging was described as India’s biggest running trend, with an estimated 10,000 regular ploggers. Globally, India ranks high in plogging participation, with events like the 2019 Run to Make India Litter Free covering 1,000 km across 50 cities.
Litter Free India Movement: Bevli’s initiative, combining Swachh Bharat (Clean India) and Fit India missions, has organized over 500 cleanups in 80+ cities by 2021, engaging nearly 10 million people. Waste collected includes plastic wrappers, Styrofoam, and glass.
Regional Impact: In Tamil Nadu, plogging drives in Chennai and Coimbatore, led by Bevli and local groups like Chennai Ploggers, have cleaned beaches and streets. In 2023, a Coimbatore event collected 31 kg of trash. The Greater Chennai Corporation also ran a Ploggathon in 2020 with thousands participating.
Other Plogging Heroes: G. Nagaraj, dubbed “The Indian Plogman” from Bangalore, founded The Indian Ploggers Army in 2018, combining plogging with distributing clothes, shoes, and gadgets to underprivileged communities. Vivek Gurav’s Pune Ploggers, started in 2018, has over 10,000 members and collected over 1 million kg of rubbish.
Environmental and Fitness Benefits: Plogging burns about 288 calories per half-hour compared to 235 for regular jogging, due to added movements like bending and squatting. It aligns with India’s fight against plastic pollution, with 26,000 tonnes of solid waste generated daily, much of it uncollected.
Plogging reflects the spirit of Independence Day by fostering community action and responsibility for a cleaner, healthier India. If you’d like more details or specific plogging events tied to Independence Day celebrations, let me know!