Walking, once a solitary fitness routine, is becoming a social wellness movement, bringing together professionals, students, homemakers and creatives in search of companionship and community
From founders of companies discussing funding at dawn to women seeking companionship and photographers exploring hidden corners, people in Hyderabad are gradually making walking more than a fitness routine. Across parks, trails and public spaces, communities are using walks to network, create, socialise and find a sense of belonging.
Swapping conference rooms for walking tracks
At 6.30 a.m. on weekends, the pathways of Kondapur’s Botanical Garden look less like a jogging track and more like an open-air conference room on the move. Business ideas are discussed. Job seekers soak up advice from mentors. Entrepreneurs deliver elevator pitches between laps. By the end of a four-kilometre walk, someone may have found a client, a collaborator or even a co-founder. The gathering is part of Millionaire by Health, an initiative under TG10X started by entrepreneur Chenappa Naidu Darapaneni. What began with five or ten participants in May 2025 now attracts between 300 and 400 people every weekend, with more than 1,500 members connected through the initiative’s digital platform.
Darapaneni wanted to create a space where entrepreneurs could connect beyond conference rooms. While informal walkers’ associations are found in almost every major park, the concept appears to be inspiring a new breed of communities. “These communities are not walking clubs in the traditional sense, but they use walking as a shared activity while discussing entrepreneurship, careers or common interests,” says Santhana Selvan, Hyderabad Bicycle Mayor.
Seeing the city differently
Walking communities are also taking creative forms.
Naveen Kumar Reddy Janga, who started Photowalks in August 2022, wanted to help photography enthusiasts overcome the hesitation in taking pictures in public spaces while alone, and simultaneously fostering a sense of community among like-minded people. Participants gather at a chosen location and explore neighbourhoods through different themes. What started with five to ten participants has grown into a community of more than 250 members, with collaborations involving Urban Sketchers and heritage groups. “Walking allows people to meet strangers, explore hidden corners of the city and experience places more deeply. Those moments of discovery are where creativity comes from,” he says.
Beyond photography, Hyderabad also hosts numerous heritage walks every weekend. Communities such as The Deccan Archives, Hyderabad Walking Company and others take participants through lesser-known neighbourhoods and historic precincts.
Steps towards sisterhood
Hyderabad’s walking groups connect people through careers, friendship, creativity, history and a shared sense of community
After struggling to find a community after moving to Hyderabad, sustainability professional Sambavi launched City Girls Walk Hyderabad, a women-only weekend walking group at KBR Park, Durgam Cheruvu and the Botanical Garden.
“Walking feels less intimidating than attending an event. It doesn’t require much effort, there’s no pressure, and it gives people a reason to step out of the house.”
Sambavi believes public spaces in Hyderabad could be more accommodating to community-led initiatives. “I don’t mind the entry fee, but park timings can be restrictive. Public spaces should be more accessible for people to unwind and build communities,” she said and added, “I feel Hyderabad is still growing in this space. In cities like Delhi and Bengaluru, these communities are already well established.”
Steps, medals and motivation
While some communities meet on walking tracks, others are coming together through apps, virtual challenges and reward-based programmes.
Medical student Jeevana Jasti is among those finding motivation through fitness apps and virtual challenges that reward users with medals, vouchers, saplings and digital badges. Through apps such as Koshiqa, Pacer and Get Set Go, she takes part in challenges individually and tracks her progress while earning rewards.
“One ongoing challenge requires participants to complete six lakh steps in 60 days, after which they receive a medal and a T-shirt, and a sapling,” she said. She has also observed the rise of coffee walks, coffee runs and mall walks, where participants exercise together before gathering at cafés for conversations, games or painting sessions.
