Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed at least 30,000 people at Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex for the grand International Yoga Day Celebrations, before joining the mass demonstration. A yoga enthusiast himself, he performed yoga ‘asanas’ along with the people at the event.
This is the second year in a row that the event is being celebrated.
During his address, PM Modi advocated for popularisation of the practice across the world and desired for more Yoga teachers to be produced from India. He also announced two awards for the Yoga Day celebrations next year, one at the national level and the other at the international level.
He said that people from all across the country as well as the world were connected to the event as they all supported the day.
“Any other day celebrated by UN cannot compete with Yoga Day . It is probably the first time that a day has become mass movement,” he said.
Explaining why June 21 was chosen as the Yoga Day, he said that this was because the solstice is the longest day of the year.
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.
PM 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.
(With inputs from PTI)
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Source: PM Modi leads IYD celebrations, pitches for treating diabetes through Yoga | The Indian Express