Gandhinagar, June 18 (IANS) More than 1.25 crore citizens in Gujarat are expected to take part in Yoga Protocol training on ‘International Yoga Day’ this year, with the state-level main event scheduled to be held at Mansa in Gandhinagar district, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said on Thursday.

Addressing details of the 12th International Yoga Day preparations, Sanghavi said the state-level celebration will be held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with over 4,000 citizens expected to take part at the main venue.

“Across the country, 12 years of governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi are being marked through various service-oriented initiatives, and Gujarat’s Yoga Day celebrations are part of this wider programme,” he said.

Sanghavi said this year’s theme, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”, is being taken forward through a series of programmes across the state.

“More than 10 large-scale events have already been completed, while around 24,000 programmes are planned in total across schools, colleges, corporate offices, industries, parks and public spaces,” he said.

He further said that “Yoga Week” is being observed across the state from June 14 to 20, during which 12 special programmes are being organised to cover different sections of society, including sanitation workers, women, senior citizens, and farmers.

Of these, 10 programmes have already been completed, and the remaining two will be held in the coming days.

Sanghavi said that on International Yoga Day, mass yoga sessions will be conducted simultaneously across all 17 municipal corporations, 33 districts, all talukas, municipalities and rural areas, ensuring statewide participation at the same time.

He added that coordination among district collectors, municipal commissioners and social organisations is being carried out to ensure the smooth implementation of the programmes at every level.

As part of ongoing activities, more than 5,000 citizens participated in a mass yoga session held earlier in the day at GIFT City in Gandhinagar.

Referring to India’s global cultural outreach, Sanghavi said: “During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits, yoga demonstrations by foreign nationals have been used to welcome him, reflecting the worldwide reach of India’s cultural traditions.”

He added that demand for trained Indian yoga instructors has increased globally, with competitive remuneration.

He also said that the Gujarat Yoga Board is providing training and facilities to enable citizens to practise yoga daily.

He acknowledged the efforts of the Yoga Board chairman and the team in expanding participation in yoga across the state.

–IANS

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