Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading around 50,000 people in marking the fourth edition of the International Yoga Day on Thursday at the sprawling campus of the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Uttarakhand’s capital Dehradun.
The prime minister was joined by state chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and Union minister of state for Ayush Shripad Naik.
The United Nations declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in 2014 after PM Modi called for the day to be adopted as a global celebration of yoga, an ancient practice that began in India more than 5,000 years ago.
Thousands will observe the day with public sessions of yoga and meditation across the country.
Here are the live updates:
ITBP perform Surya Namaskar in Ladakh
#WATCH Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel perform Surya Namaskar in cold desert of Ladakh at an altitude of 18,000 feet pic.twitter.com/ky3PmJUm0G
— ANI (@ANI)June 21, 2018
Eastern Navy participates in Yoga Day
Eastern naval command staff performed yoga on board INS Jyothi in Bay of Bengal off Visakhapatnam.
PM Modi performs Yoga
Prime Minister Narendra Modi joins thousands of volunteers performing yoga asanas in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun to mark the 4th International Yoga Day.
Yoga is one of the biggest mass movement: Modi
The world has embraced Yoga and glimpses of this can be seen in the manner in which International Day of Yoga has been marked every year. Infact, Yoga Day has become one of the biggest mass movements in the quest for good health and well-being, PM Modi said at Dehradun.
Yoga is beautiful because it is ancient yet modern, it is constant yet evolving. It has the best of our past and presents and a ray of hope for our future. In Yoga, we have the perfect solution to the problems we face, either as individuals or in our society: PM Modi.
PM Modi addresses gathering
PM Modi addresses the gathering Forest Research Institute in Dehradun. He will shortly perform asanas with the volunteers to mark International Yoga Day.
In today’s fast changing time, Yoga binds together a person’s body, brain and soul, hence making one experience a feeling of peace, says PM Modi.
PM Modi in Dehradun
PM Modi reached Dehradun on Wednesday, landing at the Jollygrant airport at 10 pm. He was taken to the Raj Bhavan, where he spent the night.
#Uttarakhand: PM Narendra Modi arrives in Dehradun, received by CM Trivendra Singh Rawat. PM Modi will lead #InternationalYogaDay2018 celebrations at the Forest Research Institute, tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/oQpXF6Bwyu
— ANI (@ANI)June 20, 2018
Mizoram govt distances itself from Yoga Day
State government officials said Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla and his cabinet are unlikely to participate in any Yoga Day event. In fact, some seemed clueless about the event, which has been dubbed “anti-Christian” by religious groups in the state. Read fully story
Dehradun gears up to host Yoga Day event
Officials gave the “final touches” to the elaborate arrangements for security, healthcare and sanitation at the venue on Wednesday.
“All security agencies involved including the police and the Special Protection Group (SPG) etc are leaving nothing to chance,” chief secretary Utpal Kumar said.
The forest department had launched an intensive drive to look for snakes and monkeys on FRI campus ahead of PM Modi’s visit.
Source: HindustanTimes