Chandigarh, June 21 (IANS) Taking a step towards building a ‘Yoga Yukt, Nasha Mukt Haryana’, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday morning led nearly one lakh people to perform exercises on the banks of the Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra in the presence of yoga guru Swami Ramdev to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga.

Governor Bandaru Dattatraya also performed yoga and did ‘pranayama’, ‘asanas’ and other exercises in Kurukshetra, the land of Lord Krishna who gave the message of karma and yoga to mankind.

Health Minister Kumari Arti Rao and Member of Parliament Naveen Jindal were also present on the stage.

“Doing yoga under the guidance of Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev made this day more special. When every person joins yoga, all diseases go away,” the Chief Minister said.

An official spokesperson said yoga programmes saw participation of over 20 lakh in all 22 districts and 121 blocks of the state.

As part of the ‘Harit Yoga’ campaign to promote environmental awareness, more than 70,000 saplings have already been planted.

Notably, in 2014, Prime Minister Modi introduced yoga on the global stage at the United Nations General Assembly.

With support from 177 countries, June 21 has been declared International Day of Yoga, through which India offered the world a path of peace, health, and harmony.

This year’s Yoga Day theme highlighted yoga’s role in promoting physical, mental, and environmental well-being and aligned with the global call for unity and sustainability.

To promote yoga at the grassroots, the state government has set a target of building 1,000 Vyayamshalas (gymnasiums) in rural areas. So far, 714 have been completed, and 877 AYUSH yoga assistants have been appointed. Special yoga programmes were also held in these Vyayamshalas.

CM Saini told the media that the ancient method of yoga given by sages and saints would act as the foundation stone in fulfilling PM Modi’s dream of making India a ‘Viksit Bharat’ in 2047.

“The day is not far when India will become the world leader and yoga will play an important role in it. Therefore, to spread yoga to every corner of the world, International Day of Yoga was started and today most of the countries of the world have adopted yoga and recognised International Day of Yoga.”

He said the preparations for Yoga Day from villages to cities of the state had presented a new example of social awareness.

CM Saini said the theme of International Day of Yoga is ‘One Earth One Health’, which “we have implemented in the state by adding the slogan: ‘Yoga Yukt, Nasha Mukt Haryana’. Following this theme, all citizens should save themselves from drug addiction. Also, the youth of the state have to be saved from drug addiction. Drug addiction is a bad practice, which hinders the development of any nation.”

Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev said that both Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and yoga “are our pride”.

“The Chief Minister himself is a Yogi, healthy, self-respecting, helpful to all and important for Haryana. Being always happy is the identity of a Yogi, and this happiness is always visible on the face of the Chief Minister,” he said.

–IANS

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