Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (June 21) led International Day of Yoga celebrations in Srinagar, noting that yoga has gained global significance as a force for good. Addressing the nation from the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), PM Modi said more and more people across the world are embracing yoga.
"The world is looking at yoga as a powerful agent of global good. Yoga helps us live in the present moment without the baggage of the past," PM Modi stated.
Despite the event being moved indoors from the lawns of SKICC on the banks of Dal Lake due to incessant rain, enthusiasm remained high. "I extend greetings to the people of the country and those performing yoga in every corner of the world on Yoga Day," PM Modi said.
For many people worldwide, yoga has become a part of their daily lives, PM Modi observed. "The number of yoga followers is growing continuously. Wherever I go, there is hardly any (international) leader who does not talk to me about the benefits of yoga," he said.
On the 10th anniversary of International Yoga Day, the Prime Minister recalled how he proposed the initiative to the United Nations in 2014, garnering support from 177 nations.
International Yoga Day continues to set new records, with Modi highlighting the day's evolution from its inception to its current global prominence. "Since then, Yoga Day has been creating new records," he stated.
Talking about the growing number of people practising yoga worldwide, he attributed this trend to the discipline’s capacity to foster inner peace and societal transformation. "When we are peaceful within, we can also make a positive impact on the world...Yoga is making new ways of positive change in society," he said.
Citing an instance of the global reach of yoga, PM Modi said 101-year-old Frenchwoman Charlotte Chopin was awarded the Padma Shri for popularising yoga in her country.
The Prime Minister added that personal yoga trainers and corporate wellness programs are becoming more common, opening new avenues for employment.
Highlighting yoga's benefits, PM Modi stated that it offers solutions to modern challenges. "Yoga is not only knowledge but it is science as well. In this era of information revolution, there is a flood of information sources and it is a challenge for the human mind to focus on one subject. A solution for this is also in yoga as it helps the mind to focus. That is why from army to sports, yoga has been included in their routine," he said.
The theme for International Yoga Day 2024 is “Yoga for Self and Society.” On Dec 27, 2014, the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi took the initiative for Yoga Day, and the first ever global celebration took place on June 21, 2015.
Enthusiasts congregate in Times Square
Ahead of the International Day of Yoga, ‘Solstice at Times Square’ showcased widespread enthusiasm for yoga in New York City on June 20. A large number of people participated in the day-long celebration at Times Square. The Consulate General of India in New York, in partnership with Times Square Alliance, celebrated the 10th International Day of Yoga at Times Square.
“The day-long celebration of Yoga, also known as ‘Solstice at Times Square’, featured seven yoga sessions, in which about 10,000 people from various nationalities participated, showcasing the widespread enthusiasm for yoga in New York City and the US,” the consulate said.
Consul General Binaya Pradhan greeted the participants and highlighted the benefits of yoga for both physical health and spiritual well-being, as well as its role in promoting harmony.
The Consulate is organizing a month-long celebration of the International Day of Yoga across its jurisdiction, including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut.
