People perform Yoga on the occasion of International Yoga Day in front of the Red Fort in New Delhi on Monday. (Express Photo: Abhinav Saha)International Yoga Day 2021 Live News Updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing an event marking the seventh International Yoga Day on Monday morning, said, “Today, when the whole world is combating the coronavirus disease pandemic, yoga remains a ray of hope.”
The Prime Minister also launched a mYoga app that will be available worldwide. “In collaboration with WHO, India has taken another important step. We will be launching the mYoga app which will have yoga training videos in different languages for people across the world. This will help us achieve our ‘One World, One Health’ motto,” he added.
This year, the theme is ‘Yoga For Wellness’. Elaborating on it, PM Modi wrote on Twitter: “The theme this year is ‘Yoga For Wellness’, which focuses on practising Yoga for physical and mental wellbeing.”
The Ministry of Culture is also slated to celebrate the International Day of Yoga at 75 cultural heritage locations across the country. Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, Prahlad Singh Patel, performed yoga at Delhi’s Red Fort on June 21, at 7 am, while other senior officials conducted yoga camps at various monuments and forts, including the Agra Fort, Shanti Stupa in Ladakh, Ellora Caves in Maharashtra and Nalanda in Bihar. Considering the pandemic, the number of participants for the sessions has been restricted to 20 at each site.
The idea of International Yoga Day was conceived by PM Modi, who proposed the concept on September 27, 2014, during his speech at the UN General Assembly. The resolution to adopt June 21 as International Yoga Day was introduced in the UN by India’s Ambassador, Ashoke Kumar Mukerji. The resolution had received support from 177 nations, the highest number of co-sponsors for any UN Resolution. Currently, countries ranging from Canada to the USA participate in this event.
While several socially distanced events were held across the world to mark the 7th International Yoga Day, political leaders also stated that the relevance of Yoga has increased during Covid-19. Read the full report here.
On the seventh edition of International Yoga day, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on June 21 revealed on Twitter what his favourite asana is and his answer had netizens in splits.
Suryadatta Group of Institutes’ Suryadatta Fitness and Sports Academy organised Suryadatta Kala Arogyam Yogathon-2021 on International Yoga Day on Monday.
Held on the Bavdhan campus of Suryadatta Group of Institutes, the event saw participation of over 100 people. Founder President of Suryadatta Group of Institutes Prof Sanjay Chordia, Vice-President and Secretary Sushma Chordiya among others attended the event.
Chordia said, “Yoga develops mental and emotional orbits along with physical development. Yoga is a source of art, creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, and positive thinking.”
Tamil Nadu Minister for Health and Family Welfare M Subramanian said the DMK had introduced Yoga as a curriculum in the Chennai Corporation schools and for pregnant women long ago. 'Today, we are observing the 7th International Day of Yoga. But, about 13 years ago, I introduced yoga in the Chennai Corporation schools during my tenure as the city Mayor,' he said in his message.
Meanwhile, several institutes, including the Madras Regimental Centre, in the state held Yoga training sessions, adhereing to Covid norms, to mark the day. (PTI)
Over 1,500 inmates across three jail complexes in the national capital performed yoga on Monday morning. A senior jail official said prisoners from Tihar, Rohini and Mandoli gathered in the common area, maintaining social distancing norms.
Director General (Prison) said, 'We organized a magic show and a tug-of-war competition along with the yoga session in jail number 5 where the inmates between 18 to 21 years are lodged, while maintaining proper social distancing.' (PTI)
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said yoga should be popularised and practised even more as it eliminates all diseases and discomforts from lives of people.
He also pointed out that PM Modi has made yoga a global practice and initiated a special global day to make people aware of benefits and significance of yoga. (PTI)
To mark the International Yoga Day, a virtual yoga marathon was organised in Chhattisgarh and over 10 lakh people registered to participate in it.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel performed various yoga asanas at his official residence and stated, 'In this time of Covid-19 crisis, the relevance of yoga has increased manifold.' (PTI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath described yoga as an invaluable gift which keeps both the body and mind healthy, and asked people to make it a part of their lives, PTI reported.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday termed Yoga as a 'form of healthcare' and said if it is confinedwithin the frames of any religion, a vast majority of the society would be denied its benefits. Modern Yoga is not something that should be seen in connection with spirituality or any particular religion, the Marxist veteran said in his video message to mark the seventh International Yoga Day.
Stating that Yoga is beneficial for both the physical and mental well-being of people, he urged people to make the ancient practise part of their daily routine. "Modern Yoga is not something that needs to be seen in connection with any particular religion or spirituality. It should be seen as a form of healthcare,"Vijayan said. (PTI)
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said that yoga has been included in school curriculum for classes 1 to 10 from the current academic session. He was addressing an event here on the occasion of the International Yoga Day. "...We have included yoga in school curriculum from this year for Classes 1 to 10 so that children make it a part of their daily lives," Khattar said.
"Like we need oxygen, food and water, likewise, to keep the body healthy yoga has its own importance. To inculcate the habit of practising yoga and to make it a part of students' lives since childhood, we have decided to include it in school curriculum from this year," he added.
In December, the Haryana government had announced that yoga would be included as a separate subject in all government schools from the next academic session. An official statement had earlier said the curriculum for yoga would be designed in such a way that it would have both theoretical and practical content on the pattern of physical education. Khattar said the state government's aim was to take yoga to the grassroot level and encourage people to make it a part of their lifestyle. (PTI)
The Delhi Police on Monday organised special yoga sessions for its personnel deployed across various units on the occasion of seventh International Yoga Day. Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava posted pictures of him and his wife performing different 'asanas'.
"I did my daily Yoga today morning at home. My wife too joined me to observe the 'Yoga Day'," he tweeted from his official Twitter handle. A special yoga session was carried out at the Singhu border where personnel from the Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces units deployed performed various yogic postures, a senior police officer said. In the southeast district, a similar programme was organised for police personnel to reduce their stress and keep their mind calm, a senior police officer said.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat performed various 'asanas' on the occasion of International Yoga Day on Monday and appealed to people to make yoga part of their daily routine for mental and physical health. He said Uttarakhand has a distinct identity in the world because of its close association with yoga which gives both physical and mental strength.
"Yoga is a science that unifies the body, heart and soul. Everyone must do yogic exercises regularly to lead a healthy life," the chief minister said. Announcement by the United Nations to observe June 21 as the International Yoga Day was a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative, he said. (PTI)
Indian Navy personnel perform Yoga on INS Shardul that is heading back from the Persian Gulf as part of the Operation Samudra Setu II deployment. (ANI)
Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and leaders from various political parties emphasised on the importance of yoga for good physical and mental health and some of them performed asanas to mark the International Yoga Day on Monday. At the Raj Bhavan, Koshyari along with officers and other staff participated in a yoga session conducted under the guidance of Hansa Jayadeva, director of The Yoga Institute, a century-old training facility. Social distancing norms were followed during the yoga session in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, a statement from the Raj Bhavan said.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari participated in the 'Yoga An Indian Heritage' campaign in Nagpur. Maharashtra PWD Minister Ashok Chavan on his Twitter handle posted a picture of former prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru doing the 'shirsasan' exercise. "This International Day of Yoga, let us renew our resolve to follow true virtues imbibed by yoga- non violence, truthfulness, avoidance of malice and hatred," the former state CM tweeted. NCP chief Sharad Pawar said yoga was an excellent way of achieving good physical and mental health. (PTI)
Yoga is India's invaluable gift to the world and it has helped several people deal with the COVID-19 crisis, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said while greeting people on the occasion of the International Yoga Day on Monday.
The CM participated in a programme at the Aguada Fort in North Goa district in the morning and performed yoga exercises along with others as part of the event. In a Twitter post, he said yoga is the "key for a healthy life". "Yoga is India's invaluable gift to the world. It has helped millions of us to deal with covid crises.Wishes to all on the occasion of International Day of Yoga. Let us all make Yoga an integral part of our daily lives," Sawant said in another tweet.
Under the Union Culture and Tourism Ministry’s 'Yoga is an Indian Heritage' theme, a camp is organised at Kanheri Caves in Mumbai. Kanheri Caves is among 75 monuments that have been identified for holding a ‘common yoga protocol’ to mark the International Yoga Day. (ANI)
Indian Army organizes a Yoga session in Poonch for the locals on the occasion of the International Yoga Day. (ANI)
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad performed Yoga in Patna on Monday. (ANI)
"This year's theme 'Yoga for well-being' reflects the need to practice Yoga regularly for our holistic wellness," Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu said.
Relevance of Yoga has increased during Covid-19. Yoga has helped us to maintain our physical and mental health. We should make Yoga or other physical activities a part of our daily life. These will help increase our immunity against coronavirus: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. (ANI)
Maharashtra: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari performs Yoga in Nagpur. (ANI)
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan performs Yoga at Maharaja Agrasen Park. (ANI)
Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind performs yoga at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel perform Yoga alongside Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh. (ANI)
Arunachal Pradesh: ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) personnel of Animal Training School (ATS), Lohitpur, perform yoga. (ANI)
The mantra of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', which india has followed since ages, is now finding global acceptance. We all are praying for each others well-being, the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi: In collaboration with WHO, India has taken another important step. Now there will be M-Yoga app, which will have yoga training videos in different languages for people across the world. This will help us in our 'One World, One Health' motto.
Practicing yoga improves health, stamina and contributes to a long happy life. Yoga tells us that there are many problems out there in the universe, but we have infinite solutions within ourselves, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
When I talk to frontline warriors and doctors, they tell me that they've made Yoga a shield for protection against the virus. They've used Yoga not just for safeguarding themselves, but also patients. Today even medical science lays emphasis on the healing process, besides medical treatment. Yoga helps in healing process: PM Modi
For two years now, no public event has been organised in India or the world but enthusiasm for yoga has not gone down, says PM Modi
"Today, when the whole world is combating the coronavirus disease pandemic, yoga remains a ray of hope", said Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He added, "There have been numerous pictures of frontline workers and patients practising Yoga at Covid hospitals."
Watch PM Modi's address to the nation
Today, yoga is seen as India's gift to the world, Union minister Kiren Rijiju says in International Yoga Day address. Tap to watch live
On International Yoga Day, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan performs Yoga at his residence in Delhi. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last month and thanked them for their cooperation in celebrating the International Day of Yoga.
In his letter to President Rajapaksa, Modi expressed his gratitude for making Yoga Day celebrations in Sri Lanka a resounding success every year.
The prime minister, in the letter dated May 25, noted that the 'Yoga For Wellness' theme this year reflected the concern for the good health and wellbeing of people across the globe, according to a tweet by the Indian mission in Lanka. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last month and thanked them for their cooperation in celebrating the International Day of Yoga.
In his letter to President Rajapaksa, Modi expressed his gratitude for making Yoga Day celebrations in Sri Lanka a resounding success every year.
The prime minister, in the letter dated May 25, noted that the 'Yoga For Wellness' theme this year reflected the concern for the good health and wellbeing of people across the globe, according to a tweet by the Indian mission in Lanka. (PTI)
Over 100 Chinese yoga enthusiasts took part in an event organised by the Indian Embassy in Beijing on Sunday to celebrate the ancient Indian practice ahead of the International Yoga Day on June 21. (PTI)
International Yoga Day is an annual event that has its roots in an Indian context, but is commemorated every year on 21 June 2021. The idea of International Yoga Day was conceived by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who proposed the concept on September 27, 2014, during his speech at the UN General Assembly. The resolution to adopt June 21 as the International Yoga Day was introduced by India’s Ambassador, Ashoke Kumar Mukerji.
This resolution can be viewed as a triumphant moment for Indian soft power as it received support from 177 nations, the highest number of co-sponsors for any UN Resolution. Currently, countries ranging from Canada to the USA
participate in this event. Read More
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu asked people on Sunday, a day ahead of the International Yoga Day, to resolve to brighten their lives physically, mentally and spiritually by practising yoga.
'The pandemic made the world realise the importance of overall well-being and yoga is one simple yet powerful practice that helps us build resilience and improves our health holistically,' Naidu said in his message. (PTI)
Practising yoga and meditation can not only improve immunity but also help in post-Covid recovery, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Centre for Meditation and Yoga Sciences here on the eve of International Day of Yoga, Kejriwal said in these difficult times, people are feeling the need for yoga more than ever.
'In these difficult times, people are feeling the need for yoga more than ever. Yoga can not only help improve immunity in the body but it also helps in recovery post-covid. Those who have survived a strong case of COVID-19, need to rebuild their physical and mental health. Yoga and meditation can do that,' the chief minister said. (PTI)