India gearing up for yoga day
INDIA’S Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are expected to perform yoga with 50 000 people in Lucknow on June 21 to mark the third edition of International Yoga Day.
Union Minster of State for Ayush, Shripad Yesso Naik, said interest in the event had increased over the years and he hoped to see greater participation this year.
He was addressing the inaugural session of the National Health Editors’ Conference on Yoga last week.
Ayush secretary C K Mishra said preparations had already begun in Lucknow to make the event a success, with various organisations and yoga gurus holding camps and practice sessions.
Besides the main event, every state would organise events on International Yoga Day, not only at state level but also at district and sub-district levels, Mishra said.
“All our missions abroad are going to organise Yoga Day events. Many of the missions have already started pre-event activities and programmes, including concerts and activities with gurus.”
The New Delhi Municipal Council will organise yoga demonstration at Connaught Place, Lodhi Garden, Talkatora Garden and Nehru Park.
The Delhi Development Authority will do it at Dwarka, Rohini and Khureji and the Bhrama Kumaris have come forward to organise a mass yoga demonstration at the Red Fort.
Smaller events are being organised by educational and other organisations.
The Ayush minister said that, in the last two editions, people around the world participated with some enthusiasm.
“This is probably the only occasion when people worldwide come together in such large numbers to participate,” he said. The minister said yoga was making inroads in the healthcare sector with treatment in modern hospitals becoming increasingly expensive.
“By practising yoga daily, we can have several direct and indirect benefits at individual and society levels,” Naik said.
Naik said yoga also had “huge potential” to generate employment as there was a demand, nationally and internationally, for trained yoga teachers.
“As the interest in yoga increases, jobs will be created,” he said.