International Yoga Day: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the National celebration of International Day of Yoga on Wednesday via video message today. The National Celebration of the 9th International Day of Yoga 2023 was led by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. 

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister conveyed his best wishes to the citizens on the International Day of Yoga and explained that he is connecting with them via a video message as he is currently touring the United States of America due to various commitments, unlike previous occasions of Yoga Day when he was present here.

The Prime Minister informed that he will be attending the Yoga program at the United Nations Headquarters around 5.30 pm Indian time and said, “The coming together of more than 180 countries on India’s call is historic and unprecedented.” He recalled the support of a record number of countries in 2014 when the proposal for Yoga Day was tabled in the UN General Assembly making Yoga a global movement and a global spirit through the International Day of Yoga. 

Highlighting the idea of the ‘Ocean Ring of Yoga’ which makes Yoga Day even more special, the Prime Minister said that it is based on the mutual relation between the idea of yoga and the expanse of the ocean. Shri Modi also highlighted the ‘Yog Bharatmala and Yoga Sagarmala’ made by Army personnel using water sources. Similarly, the Prime Minister continued, India’s two research bases from the Arctic to Antarctica i.e. the two poles of the earth are also connected with yoga.

He emphasized that the participation of crores of people from all over the country and the world in this unique celebration in such a spontaneous manner shows the vastness and fame of Yoga.

“What unites us, is Yoga”, the Prime Minister explained quoting the sages. He further added that the propagation of Yoga is an extension of the idea that the whole world is included as one family.  Highlighting the theme of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ for the G20 Summit being chaired by India this year, the Prime Minister underlined that the propagation of Yoga is the propagation of the spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. “Today, crores of people all over the world are doing yoga together on the theme of ‘Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, he added. 

The Prime Minister stated giving reference to the Yoga scriptures that one acquires health, vigour and strength through Yoga and those who have been regularly involved in this practice over the years have felt its energy. Underlining the importance of good health at the individual as well as the family level, the Prime Minister emphasized that Yoga creates a healthy and powerful society where the collective energy is much more.

He highlighted the campaigns like Swachh Bharat and Startup India that have helped in building a self-reliant nation and restoring the cultural identity of the country and said that the country and its youth have contributed a lot to this energy. “Today the minds of the country have changed leading to a change in people and their lives”, he added. 

The Prime Minister remarked that India’s culture and social structure, its spirituality and ideals, and its philosophy and vision have always nurtured traditions that unite, adopt and embrace. Shri Modi further added that Indians have welcomed new ideas and conserved them as he highlighted the country’s celebrated rich diversity. He said that Yoga strengthens such feelings, expands the inner vision, and connects us with that consciousness which makes us feel the unity of the living being giving a basis of love for the living being. Therefore, the Prime Minister said, we have to eliminate our contradictions, blockages and resistances through yoga. “We have to present the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ as an example to the world”, he added. 

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister quoted a Shloka about Yoga and explained that skill in action is yoga. He emphasized that this mantra is very important for everyone in the Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal and that perfection of Yoga is achieved when one is truly devoted to their duties. “Through Yoga, we know the selfless action, we decide the journey from Karma to Karmayoga”, Shri Modi said as he expressed confidence that with yoga, we will improve our health and also imbibe these resolutions. “Our physical strength, our mental expansion will become the basis of a developed India”, the Prime Minister concluded. 

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