[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Prime Minister Narendra Modi led close to 50,000 people today in Dehradun to mark the fourth International Yoga Day.
The PM greeted yoga enthusiasts and said that Yoga has the power to unite and connect individuals, society, country and the world at large and urged people around the world to embrace Yoga.
Wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of white trousers with Assamese Gamosa (Cloth) hung around his neck, PM Modi performed breathing exercises and asanas on the lawns of the Forest Research Institute (FRI). Giving him company were thousands of other yoga enthusiasts who performed the asanas on saffron yoga mats. It was the Prime Minister who led the chanting of the first round of ‘Om’. Nearly 3,000 security personnel were on duty and over 60 CCTV cameras kept a close watch.
Many union ministers participated in similar events across the country.
Environment Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, LG Anil Baijal, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal led the celebrations at Delhi’s Rajghat.
Meanwhile, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Ram Vilas Paswan, Ravi Shankar Prasad Nitin Gadkari, Suresh Prabhu, Uma Bharti also took part in yoga events in Lucknow, Nagpur, Chennai, Rudraprayag, Hajipur, and Patna respectively.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said, “Yoga has emerged as the biggest unifying force in the world.” The Prime Minister reached the venue a little after 6:30 am, addressed the gathering and performed yoga along with those assembled there. PM Modi, who arrived in Dehradun late last evening, was welcomed at the airport by Uttarakhand Governor Krishna Kant Paul, Chief Minister TS Rawat and a host of other leaders and officials.
The Prime Minister said that yoga is one of the most precious gifts and termed it is “ancient yet modern”.
He stated that the International Yoga Day is being celebrated across the world. “From Dehradun to Dublin, Jakarta to Johannesburg … people are celebrating yoga day all across the world.”
In December 2014 the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga.
Thanking Prime Minister Modi for selecting Dehradun to host the main event, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said the move would also give a boost to tourism in the state.
The Prime Minister participated in the Yoga Day celebrations at Rajpath in New Delhi in 2015, the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh in 2016 and at the Ramabai Ambedkar Sabha Sthal in Lucknow in 2017.
Last year, PM Modi had led the yoga day celebrations in Lucknow. Chandigarh was the host city for the main event in 2016 and the main event for the first International Yoga Day celebrations was New Delhi in 2015.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]