Preparations are in full swing in Ranchi to host the International Yoga Day 2019. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform yoga with thousands of yoga enthusiast at Prabhat Tara Ground as part of the celebration on 21st June. Watch to know more about the special arrangements made for IYD 2019.

Special arrangements for 5th International Yoga Day in Ranchi, Jharkhand

International Yoga Day: Enthusiasts twist and stretch in 'Yoga for the heart' in 2019

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address IAS probationers at Mussoorie&#39;s prestigious Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) and give them tips on effective administration tomorrow, officials said.</p>

<p>On the second day of his Uttarakhand visit, Modi will also take part in a yoga session with the probationers and Kendriya Vidyalaya students at the academy, they said.</p>

<p>The prime minister arrived&nbsp;today at Dehradoon to leave for Mussoorie, where he is slated to attend a slew of programmes at the LBSNAA before returning to Delhi in the afternoon tomorrow.</p>

<p>Modi was accorded a warm welcome by Governor K K Paul, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and senior BJP leaders after he landed at the Jollygrant airport in an Indian Air Force&nbsp;plane.</p>

<p>About ten minutes later, he was in a chopper on way to Mussoorie&#39;s Polo Ground helipad, officials said.</p>

<p>At the Academy in Mussoorie, Modi is expected to garland a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and then participate in a tree plantation programme, they said.</p>

<p>This is Modi&#39;s second visit to the hill state in less than seven days.</p>

<p>The prime minister, who was in the state on October 20, ahead of the Kedarnath shrine&#39;s closure for the next six months, will address IAS trainees at the Academy and attend cultural programmes organised by them.</p>

<p>He will spend the night at the Kalindi guest house on the Academy campus.</p>

<p>Modi is scheduled to do yoga along with IAS trainees and students of the Kendriya Vidyalaya at the Academy tomorrow besides addressing probationers and giving them tips on effective administration, the officials said.</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address IAS probationers at Mussoorie's prestigious Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) and give them tips on effective administration tomorrow.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address IAS probationers at Mussoorie's prestigious Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) and give them tips on effective administration tomorrow, officials said. On the second day of his Uttarakhand visit, Modi will also take part in a yoga session with the probationers and Kendriya Vidyalaya students at the academy, they said. The prime minister arrived today at Dehradoon to leave for Mussoorie, where he is slated to attend a slew of programmes at the LBSNAA before returning to Delhi in the afternoon tomorrow. Modi was accorded a warm welcome by Governor K K Paul, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and senior BJP leaders after he landed at the Jollygrant airport in an Indian Air Force plane. About ten minutes later, he was in a chopper on way to Mussoorie's Polo Ground helipad, officials said. At the Academy in Mussoorie, Modi is expected to garland a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and then participate in a tree plantation programme, they said. This is Modi's second visit to the hill state in less than seven days. The prime minister, who was in the state on October 20, ahead of the Kedarnath shrine's closure for the next six months, will address IAS trainees at the Academy and attend cultural programmes organised by them. He will spend the night at the Kalindi guest house on the Academy campus. Modi is scheduled to do yoga along with IAS trainees and students of the Kendriya Vidyalaya at the Academy tomorrow besides addressing probationers and giving them tips on effective administration, the officials said.

Modi to address IAS probationers, practice Yoga with them tomorrow

<p>Yoga is back, and it is considered cool. The whole world, particularly, the West embraces it with open arms.</p>

<p>Taking cognisance of the momentum building up around yoga, India is all poised to use it in the international arena both as a soft tool of diplomacy and to claim cultural leadership. With news pouring in from all over the world on the grand scale at which yoga is being celebrated, it is clear that the Indian state has been successful in making yoga the new face of India. The country has strike back with a new image of its own that, hopefully, will replace the earlier ones of poverty and hunger.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Yoga&#39;s multifarious use in recent times ensured that it is now a commodity. Yoga&nbsp;has its own Day, unofficial but hugely popular brand ambassadors, such as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Baba Ramdev and Shilpa Shetty, it has logos, mats and spas to serve a growing clientele across the globe. The commodification of yoga has made it very different from its &quot;classical&quot; usages when it was, primarily, showcased as a technique to achieve &quot;inner&quot; spiritual and &quot;outer&quot; physical ascent. No matter how strongly the proponents of yoga like to articulate to the world the uninterrupted lineage that yoga enjoyed through the ages, in reality, however, neither the meaning nor the practices of yoga have been consistent across space and time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is only very recently, under the tutelage of the Indian government that there has been a consistent effort to codify, localise and placate yoga as an &quot;Indian&quot; contribution to the world. Yoga is fast emerging as India&#39;s soft tool of diplomacy to garner a prominent place in international affairs. This came out clearly when India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech to the UN, successfully persuaded the international body to adopt a day as the International Day of Yoga when there was already a World Day of Yoga in existence. This was like pouring old wine into a new bottle. But the announcement&nbsp;served few very important purposes: it made sure that world knew that yoga belongs to India - it is India&#39;s gift to the world; it also made sure that yoga gets the attention of nation-states, and does not remain restricted to the confines of spas run by health enthusiasts or practised by culturally fringe elements like the hippies.</p>

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<h5>Now, yoga opens up an entire plethora of opportunity for the Indian state to give to the rest of the world a template on how to live harmoniously, embracing a healthier life choice</h5>
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<p>Endorsing Prime Minister Modi&#39;s global vision about yoga, even Ban-Ki-moon, the then UN General Secretary made a public statement endorsing the crucial role of yoga in the well-being of the world population. He was categorical in his statement that through the celebration of the International Yoga Day, the world will be a &quot;healthier&quot; place and, more importantly, it will facilitate a more unified existence where people can live in harmony irrespective of their ethnicity, faith, age, gender identity or sexual orientation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the course of modern history, it has been the West which had been providing to the rest of the world with a civilisational standard and a model of development. Now, yoga opens up an entire plethora of opportunity for the Indian state to give to the rest of the world a template on how to live harmoniously, embracing a healthier life choice. Imperceptively but very effectively yoga is shifting the locus of cultural authority in favour of India. And the Indian government is well aware of the political benefits of this shift. Hence, the resources devoted to celebrating the Day knows no bound.</p>

<p>Yoga&#39;s aggressive cultural promotion both within and outside India syncs all too well with the global aspiration of the country&#39;s growing middle-class. With rising affluence, this section of the Indian population is increasingly tired of India&#39;s image of a poverty-ridden, hunger-stricken country. Globalisation has benefitted Indian middle-class the most and now they want to see India as a global power, both economically and culturally. Yoga provides them with an alternative image of India with which it can identify. Yoga practises come laden with messages of power, discipline, masculinity and specialised knowledge. Speaking metaphorically, the asanas have been indeed therapeutic for the Indian middle-class.</p>

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<p>The myriad benefits that Indians are set to receive from yoga getting influential are so huge that they have aggressively come out against any commercial appropriation of yoga by any private individuals. All yogic asanas and formulations are now getting codified within the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) that the government has set up with an unflinching wellness message attached to it. This categoric effort to indigenise yoga as an Indian invention can be seen as part of Modi&#39;s broader agenda to promote the &quot;Make in India&quot; goal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;Under the new system, yoga is no more the fluid set of ideas open to interpretation and appropriation by anyone who takes interest in it but more of a coda of &quot;traditional&quot; knowledge that is protected by law from foreign and illegal infringement. The Government of India has placed TKDL under the supervision of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research which implies that officially the spiritual aspect of yoga is about to get downplayed while it gains in stature as a set of scientific-medical practise. As an officially recognised healing tool for the body, yoga now shares same legal protection as any medicine or scientific invention. Consequently, TKDL&nbsp;codification will be allowing the Indian government to have a bigger say on how yoga is used, who uses it and for what purposes.</p>

<p>What was purely an individual pursuit learned from the &quot;gurus&quot;, courtesy Yoga&#39;s newly emerging clinical nature, it is turning into more of a nationalist project which is under the control of the nation-state. This makes yoga very much politicised. As the government is responsible for the physical well-being of the citizen, yoga, in contributing to that scheme of wellness, becomes very much a political subject too.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Operating between the twilight zone between the secular appeal of yoga and its religious roots, the Indian government is all set to seize the opportunity to revitalise India as a &quot;Vishwa Guru&quot;, or guru of the world</h5>
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<p>While it is easier to comprehend why patenting yogic asanas by any individual party should be forbidden, the Indian government&#39;s political cooptation of the traditional knowledge has also raised serious controversy in recent times. Prime Minister Modi in trying to reclaim yoga as an Indian art form is taking the help of Hindu spiritual leaders, such as Ravishankar and Ramdev. Historically, this would mean discounting the important role yoga played in Buddhism and Jainism but, more importantly, such associations make&nbsp;yoga so much less a pan-Indian thing. Other religious communities in India and abroad have raised serious concern about yoga being used as a Hindutva tool.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Operating between the twilight zone between the secular appeal of yoga and its religious roots, the Indian government is all set to seize the opportunity to revitalise India as a &quot;Vishwa Guru&quot;, or guru of the world. Modi believes that &ldquo;We have to emerge as vishwa guru, not only to give new direction to the world, but also to protect our own heritage.&rdquo; Through the reclamation of yoga, Modi is attempting to rebrand India&rsquo;s international image by emphasising the bond between its ancient and contemporary cultures. But building a &quot;national&quot; culture is a contentious issue and in a sociologically diversified country like India, it can create the perception that the majority community is culturally imposing yoga on the others.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thus, as we celebrate the International Yoga Day, Indians, as well as the Indian nation-state, need to realise that yogic practises can keep the citizens healthy but when used as a political theology it can be a disruptive force.</p>


Yoga's aggressive cultural promotion syncs all too well with the global aspiration of the country's growing middle-class

Yoga is back, and it is considered cool. The whole world, particularly, the West embraces it with open arms. Taking cognisance of the momentum building up around yoga, India is all poised to use it in the international arena both as a soft tool of diplomacy and to claim cultural leadership. With news pouring in from all over the world on the grand scale at which yoga is being celebrated, it is clear that the Indian state has been successful in making yoga the new face of India. The country has strike back with a new image of its own that, hopefully, will replace the earlier ones of poverty and hunger. Yoga's multifarious use in recent times ensured that it is now a commodity. Yoga has its own Day, unofficial but hugely popular brand ambassadors, such as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Baba Ramdev and Shilpa Shetty, it has logos, mats and spas to serve a growing clientele across the globe. The commodification of yoga has made it very different from its "classical" usages when it was, primarily, showcased as a technique to achieve "inner" spiritual and "outer" physical ascent. No matter how strongly the proponents of yoga like to articulate to the world the uninterrupted lineage that yoga enjoyed through the ages, in reality, however, neither the meaning nor the practices of yoga have been consistent across space and time. It is only very recently, under the tutelage of the Indian government that there has been a consistent effort to codify, localise and placate yoga as an "Indian" contribution to the world. Yoga is fast emerging as India's soft tool of diplomacy to garner a prominent place in international affairs. This came out clearly when India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech to the UN, successfully persuaded the international body to adopt a day as the International Day of Yoga when there was already a World Day of Yoga in existence. This was like pouring old wine into a new bottle. But the announcement served few very important purposes: it made sure that world knew that yoga belongs to India - it is India's gift to the world; it also made sure that yoga gets the attention of nation-states, and does not remain restricted to the confines of spas run by health enthusiasts or practised by culturally fringe elements like the hippies. Now, yoga opens up an entire plethora of opportunity for the Indian state to give to the rest of the world a template on how to live harmoniously, embracing a healthier life choice × Endorsing Prime Minister Modi's global vision about yoga, even Ban-Ki-moon, the then UN General Secretary made a public statement endorsing the crucial role of yoga in the well-being of the world population. He was categorical in his statement that through the celebration of the International Yoga Day, the world will be a "healthier" place and, more importantly, it will facilitate a more unified existence where people can live in harmony irrespective of their ethnicity, faith, age, gender identity or sexual orientation. In the course of modern history, it has been the West which had been providing to the rest of the world with a civilisational standard and a model of development. Now, yoga opens up an entire plethora of opportunity for the Indian state to give to the rest of the world a template on how to live harmoniously, embracing a healthier life choice. Imperceptively but very effectively yoga is shifting the locus of cultural authority in favour of India. And the Indian government is well aware of the political benefits of this shift. Hence, the resources devoted to celebrating the Day knows no bound. Yoga's aggressive cultural promotion both within and outside India syncs all too well with the global aspiration of the country's growing middle-class. With rising affluence, this section of the Indian population is increasingly tired of India's image of a poverty-ridden, hunger-stricken country. Globalisation has benefitted Indian middle-class the most and now they want to see India as a global power, both economically and culturally. Yoga provides them with an alternative image of India with which it can identify. Yoga practises come laden with messages of power, discipline, masculinity and specialised knowledge. Speaking metaphorically, the asanas have been indeed therapeutic for the Indian middle-class. Yoga practises come laden with messages of power, discipline, masculinity and specialised knowledge. × The myriad benefits that Indians are set to receive from yoga getting influential are so huge that they have aggressively come out against any commercial appropriation of yoga by any private individuals. All yogic asanas and formulations are now getting codified within the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) that the government has set up with an unflinching wellness message attached to it. This categoric effort to indigenise yoga as an Indian invention can be seen as part of Modi's broader agenda to promote the "Make in India" goal. Under the new system, yoga is no more the fluid set of ideas open to interpretation and appropriation by anyone who takes interest in it but more of a coda of "traditional" knowledge that is protected by law from foreign and illegal infringement. The Government of India has placed TKDL under the supervision of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research which implies that officially the spiritual aspect of yoga is about to get downplayed while it gains in stature as a set of scientific-medical practise. As an officially recognised healing tool for the body, yoga now shares same legal protection as any medicine or scientific invention. Consequently, TKDL codification will be allowing the Indian government to have a bigger say on how yoga is used, who uses it and for what purposes. What was purely an individual pursuit learned from the "gurus", courtesy Yoga's newly emerging clinical nature, it is turning into more of a nationalist project which is under the control of the nation-state. This makes yoga very much politicised. As the government is responsible for the physical well-being of the citizen, yoga, in contributing to that scheme of wellness, becomes very much a political subject too. Operating between the twilight zone between the secular appeal of yoga and its religious roots, the Indian government is all set to seize the opportunity to revitalise India as a "Vishwa Guru", or guru of the world × While it is easier to comprehend why patenting yogic asanas by any individual party should be forbidden, the Indian government's political cooptation of the traditional knowledge has also raised serious controversy in recent times. Prime Minister Modi in trying to reclaim yoga as an Indian art form is taking the help of Hindu spiritual leaders, such as Ravishankar and Ramdev. Historically, this would mean discounting the important role yoga played in Buddhism and Jainism but, more importantly, such associations make yoga so much less a pan-Indian thing. Other religious communities in India and abroad have raised serious concern about yoga being used as a Hindutva tool. Operating between the twilight zone between the secular appeal of yoga and its religious roots, the Indian government is all set to seize the opportunity to revitalise India as a "Vishwa Guru", or guru of the world. Modi believes that “We have to emerge as vishwa guru, not only to give new direction to the world, but also to protect our own heritage.” Through the reclamation of yoga, Modi is attempting to rebrand India’s international image by emphasising the bond between its ancient and contemporary cultures. But building a "national" culture is a contentious issue and in a sociologically diversified country like India, it can create the perception that the majority community is culturally imposing yoga on the others. Thus, as we celebrate the International Yoga Day, Indians, as well as the Indian nation-state, need to realise that yogic practises can keep the citizens healthy but when used as a political theology it can be a disruptive force.

Yoga: India's new cultural tool of global dominance

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated the benefits of yoga in Lucknow on the occasion of International Yoga Day in Lucknow.</p>

<p>&quot;Yoga, which connects body, mind and soul, has played a big role in connecting the world too,&quot;&nbsp;Modi said in a heavily-fortified Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan, later adding that yoga was necessary as salt is to life.</p>

<p>The prime minister&#39;s comments comes after people around the world are set to participate&nbsp;in yoga events in India and around the world. In&nbsp;India, alone, there will be some 5,000 events to mark the third edition of the yoga day.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sharing my speech at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YogaDay2017?src=hash">#YogaDay2017</a> programme in Lucknow. <a href="https://t.co/TWwInTP5I5">https://t.co/TWwInTP5I5</a></p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/877396785211219968">June 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Lucknow&nbsp;event, an 80-minute affair, is one of the biggest yoga events in the country and even intermittent rain fail to dampen the spirits of yoga enthusiasts in Lucknow and around the country.</p>

<p>Wearing a white tee and loose trousers, Modi perfomed several asanas with the 51,000-odd&nbsp;people attending the event.</p>

<p>&quot;Earlier, Yoga was only restricted to saints and seers in the Himalayan mountains. Now, it has become part of every person&#39;s life,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The premier also said how problems of all magnitude could be tackled with if everyone did yoga for about an hour.</p>

<p>&quot;It is not important to perform yoga for 24 hours. 50 or 60 minutes (is fine) because it lends harmony to the body, mind and intellect. If 1.25 billion Indians and people around the world can attain this state of well-being, then humankind can also tide over problems born out of human thoughts,&quot; the 66-year-old said.</p>

<p>Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who is attending the event, also enumerated the merits of practicing yoga.</p>

<p>&quot;Yoga is an ancient Indian practice and all ancient scriptures including the Vedas have accepted the importance of yoga. Yoga is a way of life and helps to unite people,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Huge LED screens were set up at the venue for people to easily follow the sanaas being demonstrated on the stage.</p>

<p>Three years back, the Indian prime minister had persuaded the United Nations to mark June 21 as the International Yoga Day.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Indian missions around the world will hold yoga sessions to propogate the benifts of yoga, which is believed to have started in India some 5,000 years back.</p>

<p>The first two functions of the International Yoga Day were held in New Delhi and Chandigarh. In the inaugural edition, Modi performed yoga with 200 million people across the country.</p>

<p>Hours later, yoga guru Baba Ramdev claimed that nearly three lakh people in Ahmedabad did yoga together -- a world record.</p>

<p>Several high-profile BJP leaders including Amit Shah were also present at the venue.</p>

<p>But some people feel that Narendra Modi&#39;s administration -- perceived to be a nationalist one -- is pushing yoga to forward its Hindu agenda.</p>

<p>A few Muslim leaders&nbsp;have also raised their concern in the past, saying yoga went against Islamic thinking.</p>

<p>But that didn&#39;t deter Pakistan from joining in on the third edition of the yoga day.</p>

<p>Although the celebrations remained largely muted due to Ramadan, some Pakistanis came out to show their support for yoga. Some said they would hold it on a grander scale after Eid.</p>

<p>Yoga enthusiasts performed asanas at major landmarks around the world. From China&#39;s Great Wall to the London Eye, people performed yoga to underscore its benefits.</p>

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding a massive show in Lucknow

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated the benefits of yoga in Lucknow on the occasion of International Yoga Day in Lucknow. "Yoga, which connects body, mind and soul, has played a big role in connecting the world too," Modi said in a heavily-fortified Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan, later adding that yoga was necessary as salt is to life. The prime minister's comments comes after people around the world are set to participate in yoga events in India and around the world. In India, alone, there will be some 5,000 events to mark the third edition of the yoga day. Sharing my speech at the #YogaDay2017 programme in Lucknow. https://t.co/TWwInTP5I5 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2017 × The Lucknow event, an 80-minute affair, is one of the biggest yoga events in the country and even intermittent rain fail to dampen the spirits of yoga enthusiasts in Lucknow and around the country. Wearing a white tee and loose trousers, Modi perfomed several asanas with the 51,000-odd people attending the event. "Earlier, Yoga was only restricted to saints and seers in the Himalayan mountains. Now, it has become part of every person's life," he said. The premier also said how problems of all magnitude could be tackled with if everyone did yoga for about an hour. "It is not important to perform yoga for 24 hours. 50 or 60 minutes (is fine) because it lends harmony to the body, mind and intellect. If 1.25 billion Indians and people around the world can attain this state of well-being, then humankind can also tide over problems born out of human thoughts," the 66-year-old said. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who is attending the event, also enumerated the merits of practicing yoga. "Yoga is an ancient Indian practice and all ancient scriptures including the Vedas have accepted the importance of yoga. Yoga is a way of life and helps to unite people," he said. Huge LED screens were set up at the venue for people to easily follow the sanaas being demonstrated on the stage. Three years back, the Indian prime minister had persuaded the United Nations to mark June 21 as the International Yoga Day. The Indian missions around the world will hold yoga sessions to propogate the benifts of yoga, which is believed to have started in India some 5,000 years back. The first two functions of the International Yoga Day were held in New Delhi and Chandigarh. In the inaugural edition, Modi performed yoga with 200 million people across the country. Hours later, yoga guru Baba Ramdev claimed that nearly three lakh people in Ahmedabad did yoga together -- a world record. Several high-profile BJP leaders including Amit Shah were also present at the venue. But some people feel that Narendra Modi's administration -- perceived to be a nationalist one -- is pushing yoga to forward its Hindu agenda. A few Muslim leaders have also raised their concern in the past, saying yoga went against Islamic thinking. But that didn't deter Pakistan from joining in on the third edition of the yoga day. Although the celebrations remained largely muted due to Ramadan, some Pakistanis came out to show their support for yoga. Some said they would hold it on a grander scale after Eid. Yoga enthusiasts performed asanas at major landmarks around the world. From China's Great Wall to the London Eye, people performed yoga to underscore its benefits.

International Yoga Day: Modi kicks off global event, Pakistan joins in

<p>Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performed yoga with yoga guru Baba Ramdev today at the Raj Bhavan in the state capital.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The practice session was conducted just before the upcoming &#39;Yoga Diwas&#39; or International Day of Yoga which is to be held on June 21.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="in">Lucknow (UP): CM Yogi Adityanath, Governor Ram Naik and Baba Ramdev perform Yoga. <a href="https://t.co/twcFQajQrg">pic.twitter.com/twcFQajQrg</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/872276489219096576">June 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath are expected to participate in the International Yoga Day event to be held in Lucknow on June 21 along with 50,000 other yoga practitioners.</p>

<p>In his &quot;Mann ki Baat&quot; address last month, the Prime Minister had stressed the importance of yoga to lead a healthy and stress-free life. He had also asserted that yoga has the potential of connecting the entire world.</p>

<p>&quot;June 21 has become one of the known dates across the world. The entire world celebrates International Day of Yoga. In a very short span of time, the message of yoga has spread to every corner of the world. Yoga is integrating the world today. Through yoga, India as a whole has successfully started connecting the world,&quot; the Prime Minister said in his 32nd &#39; Mann Ki Baat&#39; address on May 28.</p>

<p>The world will celebrate the third International Day of Yoga on June 21.</p>

<p>It has been celebrated annually since its inception in 2015. An International Day for Yoga was declared unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on December 11, 2014.</p>

<p>(ANI)</p>


The practice session was conducted just before the upcoming 'Yoga Diwas' or International Day of Yoga which is to be held on June 21

Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performed yoga with yoga guru Baba Ramdev today at the Raj Bhavan in the state capital. The practice session was conducted just before the upcoming 'Yoga Diwas' or International Day of Yoga which is to be held on June 21. Lucknow (UP): CM Yogi Adityanath, Governor Ram Naik and Baba Ramdev perform Yoga. pic.twitter.com/twcFQajQrg — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 7, 2017 × Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath are expected to participate in the International Yoga Day event to be held in Lucknow on June 21 along with 50,000 other yoga practitioners. In his "Mann ki Baat" address last month, the Prime Minister had stressed the importance of yoga to lead a healthy and stress-free life. He had also asserted that yoga has the potential of connecting the entire world. "June 21 has become one of the known dates across the world. The entire world celebrates International Day of Yoga. In a very short span of time, the message of yoga has spread to every corner of the world. Yoga is integrating the world today. Through yoga, India as a whole has successfully started connecting the world," the Prime Minister said in his 32nd ' Mann Ki Baat' address on May 28. The world will celebrate the third International Day of Yoga on June 21. It has been celebrated annually since its inception in 2015. An International Day for Yoga was declared unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on December 11, 2014. (ANI)

Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, CM Adityanath perform yogic 'asana' with Ramdev

Following a long-held tradition, thousands of yoga fans gathered in New York`s Times Square on Monday to mark the summer solstice, the longest day of the year.<br />
<br />
During the 14th edition of the annual event, yogis transformed the famous intersection in one of the world`s busiest cities into a huge outdoor yoga lesson surrounded by cars, construction and the hustle and bustle of Manhattan.<br />
<br />
The first lesson began at 5:00 am (0900 GMT), and the last at 7:30 pm. All were free and open to yoga practitioners of all levels.<br />
There was a heavy police presence.<br />
<br />
Thousands of yoga mats were distributed for the get-together, covering crosswalks.<br />
<br />
Last year, during the first international yoga day designated by the United Nations, some 17,000 people participated.<br />
(AFP)

Last year, during the first international yoga day designated by the United Nations, some 17,000 people participated

Following a long-held tradition, thousands of yoga fans gathered in New York`s Times Square on Monday to mark the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. During the 14th edition of the annual event, yogis transformed the famous intersection in one of the world`s busiest cities into a huge outdoor yoga lesson surrounded by cars, construction and the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. The first lesson began at 5:00 am (0900 GMT), and the last at 7:30 pm. All were free and open to yoga practitioners of all levels. There was a heavy police presence. Thousands of yoga mats were distributed for the get-together, covering crosswalks. Last year, during the first international yoga day designated by the United Nations, some 17,000 people participated. (AFP)

Thousands of yoga practitioners hit Times Square to welcome summer

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today joined over 30,000 people here for the second International Yoga Day celebrations as he pitched for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient spiritual discipline.<br />
<br />
Modi, dressed in a white-coloured t-shirt and trouser along with a scarf, led over 30,000 participants, including defence forces personnel and school children, for the second International Day of Yoga celebrations here at the Capitol Complex amid tight security.<br />
<br />
The Prime Minister, who arrived here last night, participated in a mass demonstration of &#39;Common Yoga Protocol&#39;. A yoga enthusiast himself, he performed yoga &#39;asanas&#39; along with the people at the event.<br />
<br />
Over 30,000 people from all ages -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- performed yoga &#39;asanas&#39; on pink and blue coloured mats during the event. Separately, about 10,000 people also performed yoga at over 100 other locations in Chandigarh itself.<br />
Earlier addressing the gathering, Modi pitched for treating diabetes through yoga.<br />
<br />
&quot;I want to request trainers who are associated with yoga, from this public platform. From next year when we celebrate yoga day, in this one year, you continue to do what you do for yoga but focus on one subject and this is my subject -- diabetes -- Diabetes and yoga,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
&quot;All people belonging to the yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus,&quot; Modi said.<br />
<br />
Expressing concern over rising number of patients suffering from diabetes, Modi asked yoga trainers to help in controlling the disease.<br />
&quot;In India, patients suffering from diabetes are rising. We might be able to get rid of this disease or not but with the help of yoga, diabetes can be controlled. Can we start a public campaign to suggest measures in yoga to the common man suffering from diabetes.<br />
<br />
&quot;It will be an achievement if we can help in treating diabetes. From next year, we can take another disease. But I want that for good health, we should address any one disease every year. We should run a public campaign with an aim to address one disease,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
Yoga is not only a way to get rid of a disease but it also guarantees wellness. For holistic development of lives, yoga is a great way, he said.<br />
<br />
(PTI)

Says it's a great way to treat diseases like diabetes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today joined over 30,000 people here for the second International Yoga Day celebrations as he pitched for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient spiritual discipline. Modi, dressed in a white-coloured t-shirt and trouser along with a scarf, led over 30,000 participants, including defence forces personnel and school children, for the second International Day of Yoga celebrations here at the Capitol Complex amid tight security. The Prime Minister, who arrived here last night, participated in a mass demonstration of 'Common Yoga Protocol'. A yoga enthusiast himself, he performed yoga 'asanas' along with the people at the event. Over 30,000 people from all ages -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- performed yoga 'asanas' on pink and blue coloured mats during the event. Separately, about 10,000 people also performed yoga at over 100 other locations in Chandigarh itself. Earlier addressing the gathering, Modi pitched for treating diabetes through yoga. "I want to request trainers who are associated with yoga, from this public platform. From next year when we celebrate yoga day, in this one year, you continue to do what you do for yoga but focus on one subject and this is my subject -- diabetes -- Diabetes and yoga," he said. "All people belonging to the yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus," Modi said. Expressing concern over rising number of patients suffering from diabetes, Modi asked yoga trainers to help in controlling the disease. "In India, patients suffering from diabetes are rising. We might be able to get rid of this disease or not but with the help of yoga, diabetes can be controlled. Can we start a public campaign to suggest measures in yoga to the common man suffering from diabetes. "It will be an achievement if we can help in treating diabetes. From next year, we can take another disease. But I want that for good health, we should address any one disease every year. We should run a public campaign with an aim to address one disease," he said. Yoga is not only a way to get rid of a disease but it also guarantees wellness. For holistic development of lives, yoga is a great way, he said. (PTI)

Indian PM takes centre stage, leads 2nd International Yoga Day celebrations

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