Yoga answer to need for mental, moral well-being: Pranab
NEW DELHI: Amidst preparations for the International Yoga Day on June 21, President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday strongly endorsed yoga as a complete answer to people’s need for mental, moral and spiritual well-being.
“Yoga is an art, science and philosophy. It helps to join the powers of body, mind and soul for achieving self- realisation. Modern medical science has validated that the practice of yoga not only reduces stress but has multiple long-lasting beneficial effects.
“Yogic discipline not only helps control the wavering mind but also inspires the pursuit of excellence,” he said at an event where he was presented the first copy of Yogi ka sparsh (yogi’s touch) written by Nivedita Joshi, daughter of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Murli Manohar Joshi.
Help the visually-impaired
Noting that the book is a yoga manual in Braille to help the visuallyimpaired, Pranab said the ancient Indian practice offers “a complete answer to people’s need for physical, mental, moral and spiritual well-being”.
He said the United Nation’s decision to observe June 21 as International Yoga Day will help popularise yoga globally and enable people to benefit from this “priceless Indian heritage”.
Marking the occasion in India, about 40,000 people are expected to be part of International Yoga Day celebrations, to be held at Rajpath here, where the government is trying to create a record so that it finds place in the Guinness Book of Records.
Pranab said yoga was arguably the most valuable Indian cultural heritage and it was an art, science and philosophy which helps people in self-realisation.
Speaking on the occasion, Nivedita said she was bed-ridden by a host of crippling ailments for years before she regained health and vigour with practice of yoga under the guidance of noted guru late B. K.S. Iyengar. She was long driven by a quest to take yoga to the blind, 39 million globally and one-third of them living in India, Nivedita said.
“This effort will bring so much more light to those who thought they could not move in that direction (of yoga),” she said.
“As we prepare to celebrate the International Day of Yoga, it gives me immense satisfaction that the Yoga manual in Braille is being offered as a unique gift to the visually impaired,” the president said.
Meanwhile, the government has invited diplomats from 152 foreign missions in the country for the mega event on June 21 to celebrate the UN-declared International Yoga Day. Every diplomatic mis- sion has been given three passes for the function to be held at Rajpath here from 7.30am to 7.35pm where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present, sources said.
Confirmations to attend were still coming-in, they said when asked how many diplomats have confirmed their presence.
However, not every top envoy is expected to be present with some of them travelling or having prior commitments, the sources said.
The UN General Assembly in December had adopted an Indialed resolution declaring June 21 as ‘International Yoga Day’, three months after the Prime Minister had proposed the idea.
Live telecast
Around 35,000-40,000 people are expected to participate in the event at the Rajpath besides 5,000 members of the armed police forces. The event will be webcast and telecast live.
Minister for Ayush Sripad Yasso Naik on Monday took stock of preparation for the event.
Close to 1.1 million NCC (National Cadet Corps) cadets are expected to perform yoga across the country to mark the day.
In the run-up to the mega event, the government is also set to organise an international conference on yoga for holistic health.
“From the Defence Ministry, over 1.1 million NCC cadets are to perform common yoga protocol while from the Home Ministry, 5,000 members of armed police forces are to participate at Rajpath.
“About 900,000 will also perform in their respective field units under the HRD Ministry, observing International Yoga Day in educational institutions as well as arranging 5,000 school children for Rajpath event,” according to a presentation.
It said while Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan and Mahila Mandals under the Youth Affairs Ministry are expected to participate in yoga demonstrations in respective districts, yoga exhibition through Sangeet Natak Akademi under the Ministry of Culture has also been planned. The Tourism Ministry is making elaborate arrangements through its offices in India and abroad to publicise the event.