NEW DELHI: On the occasion of the ‘International Yoga Day’ on 21st June, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) will, in collaboration with over a dozen noted social organisations, hold 1,00,260 yoga programmes at different centres across the country, out of which 10 regional level mega events will be hosted by major cities of Jammu, Varanasi, Imphal, Vadodara, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Vijayawada, Bhubaneshwar, Shimla and Hoshiarpur. Announcing this at a press conference here on Sunday, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Department of Youth Affairs and all the affiliated youth wings have perhaps, for the first time, undertaken such a grand initiative to engage largest possible sections of population across the length and breadth of India, on a single day for a single theme. Elaborating further, Dr Jitendra said, even as more than 1,00,000 yoga programmes will be held across the country, as many as 250 of such programmes will be held at district headquarters and around 1,00,000 yoga programmes at village level with the collaboration of local youth clubs there. In addition, Dr Singh informed that his ministry will be organising yoga day programmes in 391 universities, 16,000 colleges and 12,000 schools across the country.
At the 10 locations of regional level mega events, Dr Singh disclosed that for the last 4-5 days, regular yoga practice is already being conducted by around 500 trainers at each centre.
In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guiding spirit, the department will try to ensure that these programmes are marked by an all-inclusive participation involving various social groups including NCC (National Cadet Corps), NSS (National Service Scheme), Patanjali, Art of Living, Bharatiya Yoga Sansthan,Brahma Kumaris and all other related organisations. Dr Jitendra said, International Yoga Day is not only an occasion for all of us to remind ourselves about the well being of mind and body, but this is also an occasion to celebrate the world’s acknowledgement of time-tested Indian tradition. He recalled that after taking over as Prime Minister on 26th May 2014, exactly after four months on 27th September, 2014, Narendra Modi, while addressing the 69th Session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), put forward the proposal to adopt an International Yoga Day and, in less than three months, on 11th December, 2014, in a historic decision, out of 193 members of UNGA, a record 177 unanimously passed a resolution to observe 21st June as International Day of Yoga.
Major General (Retd) Dilawar Singh, Director General of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) and Dr. Girish Kumar Tuteja, Director of NSS (National Service Scheme) were also present on the occasion.