Thursday, 22 June 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The journey which started with just the determination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned into the International Day of Yoga in which millions of people across the world are participating. Stating this, the chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the State government is working to develop Uttarakhand into a model State and the global capital of Sanatan culture. Dhami said this while speaking at the programme held on the occasion at Patanjali Yogpeeth on Wednesday. Earlier, the chief minister participated in Yoga exercises along with Swami Ramdev, Acharya Balkrishna and a number of other people.
Dhami said, “Despite facing various global challenges and conspiracies, India never acted while ignoring human values. The basis of this benevolent mentality is our culture and Yoga is one of the main pillars of our culture. Today Yoga has become an integral part of the daily lives of crores of people around the world due to which the world is getting connected more strongly to Indian culture.” He appreciated Ramdev for working on the principle of ‘nation first’.
Recalling the Covid-19 pandemic, the CM said that the people got to know more about the value of Yoga during the pandemic. Stating that Yoga is an effective means to tackle stress, he said that Patanjali has contributed to popularising Yoga. He said that Uttarakhand is also known as a world-class Yoga destination and the government is trying to further strengthen this identity. The CM exhorted all people of Uttarakhand to resolve to take out one hour daily for themselves and practice Yoga daily. “We will have to wake up before sunrise and change ourselves which will also reduce the expenditure on medicines,” said Dhami.
Earlier, Ramdev began the programme with mild exercises. He said that for the first time in history, the Indian PM participated in Yoga exercises at the United Nations headquarters. Guiding the people in undertaking various Yogic exercises and postures, he also explained the benefits of these exercises. Speaking about the importance of Yoga, he also spoke in detail about the journey of the Patanjali institution.
Balkrishna spoke about the importance of Yoga in keeping healthy and away from illness. He said that Yoga had also opened up employment opportunities and is helpful in efforts to build a healthy nation.
