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This is an archive article published on June 21, 2015

International Yoga Day: NCC, students make up bulk of programme

Over 37,000 people to assemble at India Gate lawns on Sunday.

international yoga day, yoga, yoga cancer, yoga health, cancer, treating cancer, chemotherapy, reduce the side effects of chemotherapy, yoga, international yoga day, benefits of yoga, health, treatment of cancer, treatment of early cancer, fitness, delhi news, city news, local news, Indian Express Patanjali Yogpeeth will see participation of less than 6,000 members due to security reasons.

On Sunday, more than 37,000 people will descend on the lawns of India Gate to participate in the Central government’s commemoration of International Yoga Day. While there will be a considerable representation from the bureaucracy, organisations like the Patanjali Yogpeeth and the Art of Living as well as students from Delhi will make up the numbers.

While VIPs and foreign dignitaries will account for four per cent of the total numbers, those from the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and students from various Delhi schools and colleges will account for nearly 27 per cent of the total representation.

Additionally, partner organisations like Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation will see an equal representation.

Data accessed by The Indian Express shows that while VIPs and foreign dignitaries will send 1,440 representatives, students and those from the NCC will send 4,951 and 4,885 representatives respectively. Participants of the Patanjali Yogpeeth and Art of Living will see 5,130 members each.

The list of VIPs include ministers, members of parliament, chiefs of armed forces and director generals of the Central Police Forces and commissioners. Among the bureaucrats will be special secretaries, additional secretaries, joint secretaries, directors, under secretaries and deputy secretaries across Central and state ministries.

yoga factSpeaking to The Indian Express, Ramdev’s aide Balakrishna said, “The entire event is being organised by the Government of India.

Patanjali Yogpeeth will see participation of less than 6,000 members due to security reasons. However, across India, two lakh representatives of the Patanjali Yogpeeth will participate in the International Yoga Day celebrations on Sunday.”

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Sources said 107 paramilitary forces, including the Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force and others, will also be participating in tomorrow’s event. Reportedly, they will be aiding the volunteers in laying yoga mats along Rajpath.

Meanwhile, a sizeable representation of defence personnel will also be seen with 1,880 members.

As City Editor ( Delhi) at the Indian Express, Kaunain Sheriff  leads city reporting with a sharp focus on accountability journalism, data-driven stories, and ground-level impact. As the National Health Editor he leads the newsroom’s in-depth coverage of pressing health issues. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, a definitive investigation into the accountability of one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical corporations. Areas of Expertise Investigative Reporting: Has deep expertise in investigative reporting spanning public health, regulatory affairs, drug safety, and the criminal justice system. His work sits at the intersection of governance, law, and accountability, with a particular focus on how regulatory failures, institutional lapses, and policy decisions affect citizens’ rights and safety. Data Journalism: Has extensively on big data–driven investigations, including analyses of flagship government schemes and large datasets on criminal trials, uncovering systemic gaps. Global Collaborations Kaunain is a key contributor to major international journalistic projects: The Implant Files: Collaborated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) to expose global malpractices in the medical device industry. Chinese Big-Data Investigation: Uncovered how a foreign data firm monitored thousands of prominent Indian institutions and individuals in real-time. Awards & Recognition His commitment to "Journalism of Courage" has been recognized with the industry's highest honors: Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism SOPA Award (Society of Publishers in Asia) Red Ink Award (Mumbai Press Club) Indian Express Excellence Awards (Triple recipient for investigations into the NSA abuse in UP, Vyapam scam, and the anti-Sikh riots). Education: Studied Mechanical Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Bangalore, before moving to Delhi to pursue his passion for journalism. His engineering training informs his analytical approach, enabling him to decode technical, legal, and data-heavy systems with precision. Social media LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/kaunain-sheriff-3a00ab99 X ( fromerly Twitter): @kaunain_s ... Read More

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