Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said Yoga goes “beyond the distinction of age, colour, caste, creed, creed, cult, rich-poor, province, frontier” and belongs to everyone. He led a Yoga session in Jharkhand’s Ranchi, which was attended by approximately 30,000 people.
His Cabinet ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh were seen participating at Rohtak and New Delhi, respectively. In Delhi, a host of events have been planned to mark the day on June 21. At a park opposite the BJP headquarters in the national capital, working president JP Nadda performed yoga along with other party leaders. Besides, newly-elected Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla participated in an event held on the premises of the Parliament House complex.
The Delhi BJP hosted around 300 yoga sessions across the national capital, in which about 10 lakh people participated, party chief Manoj Tiwari had told news agency PTI. "Senior BJP leaders and Union ministers will take part in 40 big events on International Yoga Day," he added.
Tiwari performed yoga, along with BJP national general secretary Arun Singh and Union minister Purushottam Rupala, at Ghonda in his constituency.
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) hosted an event at Qudsia Bagh, near Kashmiri Gate, ISBT, while the south corporation held an event at Talkatora Stadium.
BJP MP from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal performed yoga today the occasion of International Yoga Day.
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The national capital on Sunday celebrated the International Day of Yoga under the shadow of COVID-19, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal practicing 'asanas' at his residence, while several other city leaders performed yoga in small groups. The celebrations were muted this year in the city due to the coronavirus scare as compared to previous years when people in large numbers gathered at prominent places including India Gate lawns to participate in mass yoga sessions.
The Delhi chief minister practised yoga at his official residence in the morning. In a tweet, Lt Governor Anil Baijal congratulated people on the International Day of Yoga and suggested people perform asanas at home maintaining social distancing in view of COVID-19. Delhi BJP leaders including its president Adesh Gupta performed yoga in various parts of the city and uploaded pictures on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. (PTI)
Yoga practitioners have less chances of getting infected by coronavirus, Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik said on Sunday. Talking to PTI on the occasion of the International Day of Yoga, Naik also said the propagation of yoga across the country and the world during the Narendra Modi-led regime has helped in the fight against COVID-19.
"I am sure that propagation of yoga across the country and the world during the Modi-led government's tenure has helped in a big way to fight back COVID-19. Those who are practicing yoga have less chances of getting infected with COVID-19, the minister claimed. The BJP leader, who performed yoga at his home at Ribandar village near Panaji in North Goa district, said yoga boosts immunity and strengthens the respiratory system, which helps build resistance against diseases like COVID-19. (PTI)
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating “yoga at home” and “yoga with family” as the theme for International Yoga Day 2020 to maintain social distance in the times of coronavirus pandemic, it is a good opportunity to take a step towards being fitter by performing yoga asanas with your partner or family members. Working out with a partner is known to have many benefits, from strengthening bond to helping each other stay healthy. Here are some simple yoga asanas to do with a partner:
Sukhasana
This is an easy cross-legged sitting pose that strengthens the muscles of the back and improves body posture while reducing stress, according to finessyoga.com.
Navasana
Navasana or boat pose is a seated yoga asana that strengthens abdominal and core muscles. It also works the deep hip flexors, according to verywellfit.com.
Adho Mukha-Urdhva Mukha Sukhasana
These are backbend poses that stretch the spine while energising and rejuvenating the body, according to artofliving.org. The asanas are combined and slightly modified in case of partner yoga.
Baddha Konasana
Also known as the Throne pose or Butterfly pose, this seated yoga asana stimulates the ovaries, abdominal muscles, prostate gland, bladder and kidneys, according to yogajournal.com. It stretches the inner thigh, groin and knees while improving general circulation.
Vriksasana
This is commonly known as the tree pose. It is a standing balance pose that strengthens the legs and core while stretching inner thighs and groin muscles. It also enhances concentration and peace of mind.
As the world adapts itself to the concept of a ‘new normal’, one of the learnings of the Covid-19 pandemic has been the importance of a good immune system and overall health. Globally, the attempt is to explore practices that would boost body’s immunity and encourage an overall healthier lifestyle. This has resulted in an amplified interest in alternative therapies such as yoga and naturopathy. In India, news websites and television programmes have been dedicating prime space and time to such topics. Even the central government has taken proactive measures in COVID-19 pandemic mitigation, prevention and management through Indian systems of medicine.
Interestingly, though, while these Indian systems are rooted in natural cures, ‘naturopathy’ as a discipline in alternative medicine is an import from Germany via the US in the late nineteenth century. However, it was understandably not considered alien by Indians as they could relate with the concepts of the ‘Five Great Elements’ to the Pancha-mahabhutas (mud/earth, water, sunlight, air and ether) of Ayurveda and the principles of ‘fasting and vegetarianism’, which were the founding pillars of European naturopathy. It was readily adopted as practices of fasting (‘lankhanam paramaushadham‘, that is, fasting as a panacea for all diseases), exercise, fresh air and other similar principles were already a part of Indian culture. Dr K Satya Lakshmi writes
A number of Madhya Pradesh residents rolled out yoga mats at their homes on Sunday morning and performed exercises on the occasion of the International Day of Yoga, which is being observed this year in the backdrop of the coronavirus outbreak. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also performed 'pranayam' and other exercises at his home, an aide said. In his message, Chouhan urged people to stay indoors and practice yoga for a healthy body and mind.
"Yoga is like a 'ram-baan aushadhi'. Everyone must remain healthy, happy and perform yoga by staying at home, the chief minister said. He said yoga is all the more important nowadays as it strengthens the body, which is required in these turbulent times. At a few places in Bhopal, morning-walkers wearing masks were seen doing yoga on road sidewalks while maintaining physical distance.
Prakash Bachani, a 62-year-old yoga enthusiast from Bhopal's Chunabhattiarea, said he does exercises daily to stay fit and healthy. "I performed different yoga asanas for over 40minutes today," he said. (PTI)
Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala performed Yoga and observed the International Yoga Day at his official residence in Karnataka's Raj Bhavan on Sunday.
Yoga is a unifying force, true to its literal meaning, India's top envoy to the US said Saturday, kicking off the celebration of the 6th International Day of Yoga here. "Yoga is a unifying force, true to its literal meaning. People all around the world, transcending nationalities and cultures, have recognized the immense benefits of Yoga. They have made it a part of their everyday lives," India's Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu said.
In his remarks at India House, during the virtual celebration of the 6th International Day of Yoga, Sandhu said the world is passing through one of the biggest health and economic crises of the modern times. "This has affected our daily lives. The world needs yoga and meditation practices more than ever. Yoga has given us an opportunity to bring together people separated across geographies," Sandhu said.
Organized in partnership with Friends of Yoga and several organizations supporting Yoga in the US, the virtual yoga session was led by Teacher of Indian Culture at the Embassy Moxraj. Several Hollywood stars attended the yoga day celebrations virtually. In the runup to the IDY celebrations, the embassy had conducted a series of virtual curtain raisers with various organizations. (PTI)
Today, as millions of people across the world mark International Yoga Day, celebrating an ancient practice for living that integrates physical and spiritual disciplines, the fact remains that the discipline has become more accessible than ever before. Yoga, which is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’, consists of asanas (poses), breathing exercises and meditation that relaxes the body, relieves stress and anxiety, and promotes wellbeing. Seen as India’s biggest cultural export, Yoga is now practiced all over the world. Indianexpress.com spoke to two tech startups that are not only simplifying Yoga but also making the ancient Indian discipline accessible to a larger global audience.
Wellnesys (YogiFi)
Bengaluru-based company Wellnesys is behind YogiFi, a smart yoga mat that uses AI and a mobile app (Apple watch support also included) to connect users with a virtual instructor and give them feedback on their movements. This ‘smart’ Yoga mat consists of pressure sensors that provide step-by-step guidance and real-time feedback on your posture, strength, flexibility, and balance after each session. Muralidhar Somisetty, founder and CEO of Wellnesys, says he thought of creating YogiFi after suffering from a severe spinal injury, which he managed to reverse after he started practicing yoga.
Parjanya Creative (Prayoga app)
Founded by Krishnaprasad Jagadish, co-founder of Parjanya Creative, the Prayoga app uses Apple’s ARKit body tracking technology and machine learning to correctly understand how users perform a pose. Prayoga, which is an iOS exclusive app, highlights yoga pose correction and gives users feedback in real-time. “The essence of yoga is not about actually performing asanas, but it is about the final holding position,” Jagadish said over a call. “So, when you get into the final position the way you hold the position is what defines your expertise level in yoga and we thought that would be perfect for us because if you can do body tracking we can exactly tell you what parts of your body needs to be corrected.” Read more here
BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda performs yoga along with his family at his residence on International Yoga Day on Sunday, June 21, 2020.
President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday said practicing yoga can help keep the body fit and mind serene amid the coronavirus pandemic. Extending greetings on the International Day of Yoga, he said the ancient science of yoga is India's great gift to the world.
"Greetings on #InternationalYogaDay. The ancient science of Yoga is India’s great gift to the world. Glad to see more and more people adopting it. Amid stress and strife, especially with #Covid19, practicing Yoga can help keep the body fit and mind serene," he tweeted.
President Kovind practices yoga daily, a Rashtrapati Bhavan official said.
Addressing the nation on Yoga Day 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed the benefits of yoga and how this is helping the world in the fight against coronavirus pandemic. “Yoga is helping us in this fight against this pandemic. The pranayamas help us in building immunity and resolving respiratory illnesses.”
Highlighting the importance of exercises, PM Modi requested citizens to make yoga a part of their regular life. “All of us are doing yoga at home with the family. International Day of Yoga gives a message of universal brotherhood. Yoga gives mental peace, helps in bringing positivity. If we can fine-tune our chords of health and hope, the day is not far away when world will witness the success of healthy and happy humanity. Yoga can definitely help us make this happen.” Read more here
ITBP personnel perform Yoga at 18,800 feet in Sikkim Himalayas on the occasion of International Yoga Day, on Sunday, June 21, 2020. (Source: Twitter/ITBP)
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu shared a special message with the people on the occasion of International Yoga Day on Sunday. "The tremendous response to the International Day of Yoga is a matter of delight. We are happy that we have been able to unite the world for such a positive cause. Yoga, which means ‘to join’ or ‘unite’, basically seeks to bring about a harmonious union of the mind and body. It is a science that emphasizes balance, poise, grace, equanimity, peace and harmony," he tweeted.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat shared a video of himself of social media platform Twitter, performing Yoga on the occasion of International Yoga Day on Sunday.
President Ram Nath Kovind shared pictures of himself performing Yoga on the occasion of International Yoga Day on Sunday. "Greetings on #InternationalYogaDay. The ancient science of Yoga is India’s great gift to the world. Glad to see more and more people adopting it. Amid stress and strife, especially with #Covid19, practicing Yoga can help keep the body fit and mind serene," he tweeted.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel performed and celebrated International Yoga Day at his residence in Raipur on Sunday.
On the occasion of International Yoga Day, Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Yoga is a means of establishing harmony between body and mind, action and thought and between man and nature. This precious gift of Indian culture to the entire humanity has been given global acceptance by Modi ji through his efforts, which today the whole world has adopted Yoga. Happy yoga day".
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan performed and celebrated International Yoga Day at his residence with his family on Sunday.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel, deployed at India-China border, perform Yoga at an altitude of 14,000 feet at Vasudhara glacier near Badrinath on occasion of International Yoga Day. (Picture source: ANI)
Delhi Police officials celebrate and perform yoga on International Yoga Day at the Red Fort in the national capital on Sunday, June 21, 2020.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the ancient practice and health complement each other. Immunity increases by practising yoga. "If the immunity system of a person is strong then the risk of infection of any virus will be reduced," Adityanath said amid the coronavirus pandemic in the country. He was addressing an online workshop on yoga organized by Maharana Pratap Shiksha Parishad and Mahayogi Gorakshnath Yoga Institute on Saturday. The chief minister said one should not be afraid of the coronavirus.
"It is the weakest virus of the century, only the transmission of this virus is fast. You have to protect yourself from this infection, especially children, elderly and those who are already suffering from any disease are most vulnerable to this infection," he added. "The functional aspect of yoga is useful for person of every age. Through this, one can gain physical and mental health and understand the secrets of the spiritual world. In order to know the secret of spiritual world, it is necessary to have a healthy body and mind and this is possible only through yoga. Everyone should include yoga in his daily routine," he said.
"Yoga gained global recognition through efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Today, this day is celebrated in more than 200 countries. It also means that India also creates conversation through its heritage with so many countries," the chief minister said. (PTI)
"If we can finetune our course of health and hope, the day is not far when the world will witness the success of healthy and happy humanity. If we perform our duties and responsibilities the right way, it is also one form of Yoga. We will take all possible measures for our individual and family's health. As a responsible citizen, we will walk forward together. We will try to make 'Yoga at home, Yoga with family' a part of our lives," says PM Modi.
"Yoga enhances our quest for a healthier planet. It has emerged as a force for unity and deepens the bonds of humanity. It does not discriminate, it goes beyond race, colour, gender, faith and descent. The world is realising the need of Yoga even more today due to the coronavirus pandemic. If our immunity is strong, then it helps in fighting against the disease. There are Yoga practices that boost our immunity and improve metabolism. Coronavirus attacks our respiratory system. 'Pranayam', a breathing exercise is something that helps us the most in making our respiratory system strong," says Prime Minister Narendra Modi on International Yoga Day.
"International Day of Yoga gives a message of universal brotherhood. Yoga gives mental peace, helps in bringing positivity. Yoga enhances our quest for a healthier planet. It has emerged as a force for unity and deepens the bonds of humanity. It does not discriminate, it goes beyond race, colour, gender, faith and descent. If we can fine tune our chords of health and hope, the day is not far away when world will witness the success of healthy and happy humanity. Yoga can definitely help us make this happen," PM Modi said.
Addressing the nation on Yoga Day 2020, PM Modi said that the world has now resorted to virtual yoga due to COVID-19. "All of us are doing yoga at home with the family. Yoga unifies people, unifies the world. Yoga is helping us in this fight against this pandemic. The pranayamas help us in building immunity and resolving respiratory illnesses."
The government is also holding a Yoga Day contest with a cash prize of upto Rs 1 lakh.
You can watch the Yoga Day celebrations here:
Baba Ramdev performs yoga at Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar on International Yoga Day.
Every year, June 21 is recognised as International Yoga Day but due to social distancing measures adopted by most countries in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the theme set by United Nations for this year is “Yoga for Health – Yoga at Home”. The World Health Organization mentions yoga as a means to improve health in its Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030: More active people for a healthier world. Read more here
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation today, International Yoga Day, at 6.30 am from New Delhi. The live address will be telecast on electronic and digital platforms, the AYUSH ministry had said on Thursday.
DG of UN Geneva Tatiana Valovaya said, "Yoga promotes principles of peace, rights and well-being that UN is working towards.Celebrating International Yoga Day, we're sending message of unity and connection, one that is of substantial value at time of great challenges but also great opportunities for multilateralism."
Yoga is something India is proud to pass on to the West (now world), and they have embraced it with all the vigour. Yoga poses and practices help to improve stamina, strength, flexibility and also mental wellbeing.
As the countdown to the International Yoga Day (June 21) begins, let’s take a look at Yogasanas that takes care of your overall well-being.
On the eve of International Yoga Day, the Ministry of AYUSH has come up with a unique way to attract children towards the practice of yoga. The ministry's Twitter handle posted several images and short clips of popular cartoon characters practising different yoga poses to attract younger audiences. Take a look:
Founder of Art of living Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said the significance of yoga has become all the more crucial in the current time, as people across the globe are dealing with the various challenges posed by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
On the eve of the International Yoga Day, women practice yoga aasans at the Garden of Silence behind the regulatory end of the Sukhna Lake Chandigarh on Saturday. (Express photos)
A day before the International Yoga Day, the government on Saturday said about 96,196 candidates have been trained as yoga instructors and trainers through various skilling initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. The states with the highest number of skilled candidates are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Kerala, West Bengal, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said.
"Yoga is an invaluable gift to the world from India that has roots in our ancient Vedic traditions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also stated that yoga has emerged as one of the biggest mass movements in the quest for good health and well-being across the globe in the last few years," Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Mahendra Nath Pandey said. (PTI)
Union minister for culture and tourism Prahlad Patel Saturday said he hopes that 10 million people will join him in performing Surya Namaskar on this year's International Day of Yoga tomorrow. "I will perform Surya Namaskar at Purana Qila and I urge everybody to join me in performing Surya Namaskar from their homes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the gift of Yoga Day to the world and we should practice Yoga in our daily life," he said in a statement issued by the ministry of culture.
Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu on Saturday advised university students to add breathing and physical exercises to their daily life to drive out negative thoughts triggered by the fear of novel coronavirus. "Till a vaccine for COVID-19 is discovered, precautionary measures are the only way to keep away the disease, she said while addressing the students and faculty of the Sainath University during a webinar.
"Our scientists are working hard for a vaccine. Not venturing out of home unnecessarily, avoiding crowded places and maintaining social distance are good precautionary measures," a Raj Bhavan release said quoting Murmus webinar address.
(PTI)
More and more families are losing touch with each other during the dominance of phones, internet, social media, networking and the ever endless stream of distractions flooding our senses each moment. Yoga can be the solution to this problem and a great way to bond with your child. Along with practising yoga for good health, mental peace and bliss, it can bring back the sense of belonging, feelings of love and mutual friendship. Let us not be blinded by technology, and instead only use it to make our living more convenient.
As you make efforts to reclaim that family time through yoga, it can also be used to improve understanding and recognising the divine connection with the father. (Read more)
International Yoga Day 2020 Date, Theme: The year of 2020 has been unprecedented for more than one reason. Right from the start of the decade, with the Covid-19 outbreak, fire outbreaks, airplane crashes, locust swarms and cyclones, the last six months have been tough. The pandemic has shown us the importance of immunity and healthy living. Yoga is something that brings these qualities together.
Every year, June 21 is recognised as International Yoga Day but due to social distancing measures adopted by most countries, the theme set by United Nations for this year is “Yoga for Health – Yoga at Home”. The World Health Organization mentions yoga as a means to improve health in its Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030: More active people for a healthier world.
The proposal was first introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address during the opening of the 69th session of the General Assembly, in which he said: “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action, a holistic approach that is valuable to our health and our well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature.” Read more here
While PM Narendra Modi has declared this Yoga Day theme — ‘Yoga at home and yoga with family, ‘International Yoga Day 2020’ was inaugurated at NITI Aayog. A number of employees participated in the event, which was attended by NITI Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar and CEO Amitabh Kant. Kumar shared a video of him performing Surya Namaskar at home. “I start my day with Surya Namaskars – Salutations to the Sun, the eternal source of light and energy…” he tweeted. Read more here
"Yoga is not a religion. It is a science of wellbeing, youthfulness and seamless integration of mind, body and soul. It reflects harmony and peace for humanity, which is the message of Yoga to the world. It is the journey of the self, to the self and through the self," writes HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank'. Read more here