Overview
- The second 'Vande Mataram Coastal Cyclothon 2026' runs January 28–February 22 over about 6,500 km along India’s eastern and western shores under the theme 'Secure Coast, Prosperous India'.
- Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai will virtually flag off the effort from Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi.
- Teams start from Lakhpat Fort in Gujarat and Bakkhali in West Bengal, pass key ports such as Haldia, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Chennai and Kanyakumari, and plan overnight stops in more than 50 coastal villages.
- CISF cites 130 participants including 65 women after month-long endurance and safety training, though some outlets report higher counts, reflecting unresolved discrepancies in public reporting.
- Officials frame the outreach as strengthening first-response ties with Marine Police and the Coast Guard and underscore CISF’s ISPS Recognised Security Organisation role in safeguarding ports and the blue economy against smuggling and infiltration threats.