Visakhapatnam, June 21 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India is empowering the science of yoga through modern research and that the country is becoming the best global destination for healing.

Addressing the main national event to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga here on Saturday, he said leading medical institutes in the country were engaged in research on yoga. He referred to the research done at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.

“For the expansion of yoga in the world, India is empowering the science of yoga through modern research,” said the Prime Minister, who performed the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) along with over three lakh people at RK Beach.

“We are also encouraging evidence-based therapy in the field of yoga in the country’s medical and research institutions. Delhi AIIMS has done a good job in this regard. Its research has shown that yoga has a critical role in the treatment of cardiac and neurological disorders, and it also plays an important role in women’s health and mental well-being,” he said.

He also noted that the mantra of yoga and wellness is being promoted through the National Ayush Mission. “Digital technology has also played a key role in this. Over 10 lakh events were registered through yoga portal and Yogandhra portal,” he said.

PM Modi stated that the conduct of yoga events in every nook and corner of the country today shows its growing popularity. “We all know that the ‘heal in India’ mantra is also becoming popular around the world. India is becoming best destination for healing for the entire world. Yoga also has a key role in this,” he said.

He expressed his happiness over drafting of Common Yoga Protocol. He noted that initiatives like over 6.5 lakh trained volunteers of Yoga Certification Board, about 130 recognised institutes and the 10-day yoga module in medical colleges were creating a holistic ecosystem.

The Prime Minister also mentioned that trained yoga teachers were being deployed at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. The government is also issuing e-Ayush visas so that the entire world benefits from the wellness ecosystem of India.

Drawing the attention of all to obesity, the Prime Minister said increasing obesity was a challenge for the entire world. He recalled that he launched a challenge for cutting 10 per cent oil consumption in food. He urged people to join the challenge and underlined the need for creating awareness.

He stated that cutting down on oil consumption, avoiding unhealthy diet and doing yoga were secrets of fitness.

The PM called for making yoga a mass movement, which gives world peace, health and harmony, where every person begins his day with yoga for balance in life, where every society connects with yoga to be free from stress and where yoga becomes a medium of uniting humanity.

Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prakash Jadhav, central ministers K. Ram Mohan Naidu, Chandrasekhar Pemmasani, Bhupati Raju Srinivasa Varma, state ministers Nara Lokesh and Satya Kumar, MPs D. Purandeswari and M. Bharat joined the Prime Minister in performing yoga.

About 3.19 lakh people performed yoga simultaneously on a 28-km stretch from RK Beach to Bhogapuram.

Participants from 8 lakh locations across Andhra Pradesh, the country, and the world joined the mega event, which is set to create a world record.

–IANS

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