Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the main International Day of Yoga celebrations at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar on June 21, announced AYUSH Minister Prataprao Jadhav on Tuesday. The theme for this year's celebration is 'Yoga for Self and Society,' highlighting yoga's dual role in promoting individual and societal well-being.
Jadhav emphasized that yoga fosters physical, mental, and spiritual growth while promoting societal harmony. He noted the enthusiastic participation of millions in recent years, reflecting the profound impact of yoga on communities.
Prime Minister Modi has personally written to each gram pradhan, encouraging grassroots participation and the spread of yoga in rural areas, the minister revealed.
In a significant step towards inclusivity, Jadhav launched a 'Common Yoga Protocol Book in Braille' to support visually impaired individuals in learning and practicing yoga. Additionally, he unveiled the 'Professor Ayushman comic on yoga,' aimed at helping children learn and practice yoga with interest and entertainment.
The United Nations General Assembly, responding to Prime Minister Modi's call, unanimously declared June 21 as International Day of Yoga (IDY) in December 2014.
Since its inception in 2015, IDY has grown into a global mass movement, Jadhav said.
Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha highlighted that IDY is not merely a celebration but a concerted effort to bring about behavioral change, encouraging people to adopt yoga in their daily lives to reap its benefits.
He underscored the 'Whole of Government' approach to IDY celebrations, stressing the coordinated efforts across various government departments and the active participation of state governments to ensure an inclusive and widespread observance each year.
Alongside state governments, union territories are actively participating in IDY 2024. The National Ayush Mission team across the nation is also engaged in organizing IDY events, Kotecha mentioned.
This year, IDY will feature several events, including 'Yoga for Space.' With the support of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the initiative 'Yoga for Space' will see all ISRO scientists/officers performing the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) on IDY.
The Gaganyaan project team will also participate in IDY 2024.
To raise awareness about yoga, the Ayush ministry has launched a video contest through the MyGov Portal and MyBharat portal, inviting families to record up to one-minute harmonious yoga demonstration videos.
To promote technology and startups in the field of yoga, the ministry has organized the Yoga Tech Challenge on the MyGov portal and MyBharat portal, aiming to identify and promote startups or individuals who have developed yoga-related tools.
Last year, Prime Minister Modi led the global celebration of IDY at the United Nations headquarters in New York, USA, while Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar led the national celebration in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
The IDY celebrations include a harmonious 45-minute yoga demonstration called the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP). Videos of CYP demonstrations are available on YouTube in 22 Indian languages, six UN languages, and nine other foreign languages.
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