India's Champions Trophy winner joins Dhirendra Shastri's Sanatan Hindu Ekta Padayatra 2025 – What's the movement all about?

Former Indian cricket star Shikhar Dhawan has made a significant move beyond the cricket pitch, lending his celebrity status to the ongoing Sanatan Hindu Ekta Padayatra 2025, a 10-day foot march led by Bageshwar Dham head priest, Acharya Dhirendra Krishna Shastri. Dhawan, affectionately known as 'Gabbar,' joined the march on Saturday, clearly stating his support for the initiative's core mission of promoting Hindu unity and nationalism.

The presence of the seasoned opener, along with Indian veteran wrestler 'The Great Khali,' immediately brought national attention to the padayatra, which commenced on November 7th. The long march is planned to cover a 145-kilometre route spanning three states: Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, concluding on November 16th in Vrindavan.

The Cricketer’s Stance: Unity Over Caste

Speaking to reporters after joining the march, Dhawan stressed the importance of religious unity for the nation's strength. "I am very happy to be here. The idea of Acharya Dhirendra Shastri behind this padayatra is to make Hindus rise above caste lines and promote Hindutva," Dhawan said. "There is great strength in unity. Hindus should unite and become strong for a strong nation."

#WATCH | Faridabad, Haryana | Former cricketer Shikhar Dhawan says, "I am very happy to be here. The idea of Acharya Dhirendra Shastri behind this padayatra is to make Hindus rise above caste lines and promote Hindutva... There is great strength in unity. Hindus should unite and… https://t.co/I5xtEiHVRB pic.twitter.com/gaAeaMhbbH

— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2025

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After retiring from cricket, Dhawan's recent action is a major statement about a social and religious movement. His support for a political figure like Acharya Shastri will probably cause talks about what retired athletes should do in the public eye.

Understanding the Padayatra’s Mission

The Sanatan Hindu Ekta Padayatra is the second such foot march undertaken by Acharya Dhirendra Krishna Shastri. Its stated primary objective is to eradicate casteism and discrimination from its roots, ensuring a unified front among the Hindu community across the country.

Acharya Shastri emphasised that the march is a journey of "Hindu awakening," with a clear focus on "nationalism, not casteism." While promoting Hindu unity, the spiritual leader clarified the yatra is not "marching against Muslims, but in support of Hindus." The march begins daily with the national anthem and the recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa, and participants take seven daily oaths to reinforce the message of unity and national spirit.

The Padayatra started at the Chhatarpur Mandir complex in Delhi and has gotten a lot of support, with almost 40,000 people from all over India signed up. Shastri said that the message of Sanatan unity is going to every village and every street along the three-state route.

Having well-known people like Shikhar Dhawan involved is a big help to the movement, making sure more people see it and hear its message on social media and regular news sources. This keeps the Sanatan Hindu Ekta Padayatra in the national conversation during its 10-day trip.

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