Srinagar/Jammu, June 21 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday led the celebrations on the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) at the headquarters of the Indian Army’s Northern Command in Udhampur town of Jammu and Kashmir.

Defence Minister Singh led the Armed Forces in celebrating the 11th IDY by performing various asanas and breathing exercises with approximately 2,500 soldiers at Northern Command, Udhampur in Jammu & Kashmir on Saturday.

In his address, he credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for popularising yoga globally and highlighted that the practice provides a holistic approach to health and well-being.

He termed yoga as a universal solution to the problems faced by people in today’s fast-paced world such as stress, anxiety and depression.

“Yoga gives clarity to the people in chaos. It is an art, a science, a philosophy, and spirituality. Those who practice yoga in their daily lives have control over their body and mind. It makes us proactive, not reactive”, the Defence Minister said.

IDY was also observed across J&K on Saturday at other places as hundreds of health enthusiasts came out in large numbers to participate in the event.

Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo led the main yoga exercise function, which was joined by senior bureaucrats and others in Srinagar city.

Similar functions led by deputy commissioners were held in Ganderbal, Baramulla, Budgam, Bandipora, Kupwara, Kulgam, Pulwama, Anantnag and Shopian districts.

Not only government officials, but common citizens turned out in encouraging numbers to join the functions.

Police and CAPFs at various permanent and makeshift headquarters and camps held Yoga Day celebrations by joining the exercises aimed at improving both mental and physical health.

Army soldiers led by Commanding Officers took part in IDY celebrations at corps headquarters in Nagrota and Srinagar, at divisional, brigade, battalion and company levels throughout the UT.

People came out in various parks at different places in the UT to voluntarily become part of the country’s commitment to better physical and mental health.

People of different age groups ranging from teenagers, youth to the elderly expressed their faith in the Yoga Asanas and breathing exercises as a guiding principle to better national health.

–IANS

sq/rad