The fifth International Yoga day was celebrated across the country and abroad today.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union Ministers and prominent personalities took part in mass yoga demonstrations at multiple venues across the country.
The main event was held at Prabhat Tara Ground of Ranchi, in Jharkhand this morning where Prime Minister Modi performed various Yoga postures along with around 30 thousand enthusiasts.
Union Ayush Minister Shripad Naik, Governor Draupadi Murmu and Chief Minister Raghubar Das also joined the Prime Minister on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Modi called for making yoga an integral part of life. He said, in today’s changing times, the focus should be on wellness as well as protection from illness.
The Prime Minister said, in the last five years, Government has integrated yoga with health and wellness to make it a pillar of preventive health care.
Mr Modi stressed on the need to take modern yoga to the rural and tribal areas. He said, yoga is above all and unites people irrespective of religion, caste, creed and society.
President Ram Nath Kovind participated in the Yoga day programme at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Mr Kovind said, yoga is India’s gift to humanity and it holds the key to healthy living and maintains a fine balance between mind and body.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu took part in Yoga demonstrations at Red Fort. Mr Naidu said, Yoga is now widely recognized as a means to achieve and maintain physical fitness and health.
In the national capital, the main event was held at Rajpath where several dignitaries including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar, Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang practised Yoga with over 15 thousand people.
Talking to media persons, Information and Broadcasting Minister said, Yoga has become a mass movement all over the world.
Several states also joined in the yoga day celebrations. The day was celebrated with great enthusiasm abroad as well. UN officials and diplomats joined hundreds of people to celebrate the International Yoga Day at the UN General Assembly hall in New York.
";