From Siachen Glacier to Eastern Seaboard: Armed forces celebrate Yoga day with enthusiasm

NEW DELHI: Military personnel from the three Services joined in the international yoga day celebrations across the country on Friday performing asanas in varying weather conditions.

While several army jawans stretched their limbs during sessions held on a range of terrains from Kutch to Kibithu and arid Longewala to Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, navy personnel showed their yoga skills onboard India’s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya and some naval ships.

In the national capital, a large number of air warriors converged at the Air Force Station to mark the International Day of Yoga. IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari led the event.

“The 10th International Day of Yoga (IDY) was celebrated across the IAF today. The CAS led the celebrations by performing Yoga with IAF personnel at Air Force Station New Delhi. The theme of this year’s IDY is ‘Yoga for Self and Society’. The CAS urged everyone to embrace Yoga and set forth on a path of serenity to discover the calmness when the mind, body and spirit unite,” the IAF wrote in a post on X and shared photos.

Navy Chief Adm Dinesh K Tripathi attended a session held at Chanakya Bagh here by the Navy.

Indian Naval Warships mission deployed across the Indian Ocean Region and Western Pacific Ocean conducted Yoga session at sea and in foreign ports. IN Ships Kolkata & Tabar at Djibouti, Sunayna at Port Louis, Mauritius, Tarkash at Salalah, Oman, Kamorta at Trincomalee, Sri Lanka and Saryu at Belawan, Indonesia — conducted Yoga sessions in respective ports, spreading the spirit of yoga across the oceans, a Navy spokesperson said.

The main celebrations of the 10th International Day of Yoga were led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who took part in an event in Srinagar, while several Union ministers participated in yoga sessions held in different parts of the national capital.

Recognising its universal appeal, in December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga by a resolution. The day aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practising yoga.

“Celebrating the timeless practice of oneness and harmony, the Indian Army celebrated 10th International Day of Yoga across the entire length and breadth of our nation. The event witnessed overwhelming participation by serving personnel, their families, children, veterans, NCC cadets, and civilian fraternity at various locations,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

Yoga was also performed by soldiers deployed at the freezing heights of Siachen Glacier in Ladakh to coastal areas of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. The occasion was also celebrated from areas of Longewala in Rajasthan and Kutch in Gujarat) to the mountainous terrain of Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh and Imphal in Manipur, it said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh joined all ranks and their families for the celebrations in the city of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande also attended it.

Several personnel also performed yoga near Pangong lake in Ladakh.

In Delhi, the international yoga day was commemorated at Cariappa Parade Ground at the Delhi Cantonment, where serving army personnel, defence attaches of friendly foreign countries along with their families as well as NCC cadets participated. The yoga session here was led by Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.

Besides India, the IDY was also observed by all Indian Army contingents deployed in United Nations Missions across the globe. The local population there participated in the celebration in overwhelming numbers, the statement said.

Besides, para athletes of the Army at Army Paralympic Node, the cadets from Army Boys or Girls Sports Company also took part in the event in the country with lot of vigor and enthusiasm, it added.

The local population including students at various educational establishments including the border villages also participated in the celebrations, the ministry said.

This year’s IYD theme, ‘Yoga for Self and Society’, resonated deeply in the celebrations with all personnel reinforcing their commitment and responsibilities in serving the nation, the ministry said.

From the Indian Navy’s side, personnel performed various yoga asanas, including ‘Surya Namaskar’, on board warships INS Tarkash and INS Teg, among other ships.

“The International Yoga Day #21Jun, witnesses the Sunrise Command embracing the Sun with #yoga at sea, on the beaches, and naval stations across the Eastern Seaboard #IDY2024 #yogaeverywhere,” the Eastern Naval Command posted on X and also shared photos.

In another statement, the defence ministry said eight lakh National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets celebrated the occasion by participating in yoga sessions organised by NCC across the country.

The sessions were organised at numerous schools, colleges & iconic locations including the Sun Temple at Konark in Odisha), Red Fort in Delhi, along Dal Lake in Srinagar, Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, Sanchi Stupa in MP, Gateway of India in Mumbai, Nainital Lake in Uttarakhand, Jhansi Fort in Uttar Pradesh, and Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, it added.

Also, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) organised coordinated yoga sessions at over 60 locations across the country to mark the IDY, the ministry said.

The main event was held in New Delhi, which was led by its Director General Rakesh Pal and attended by more than 1,000 personnel and their families. The DG, ICG while addressing the gathering, highlighted the importance of integrating yoga into daily life, especially for those in demanding roles like the Coast Guard, it said. (PTI)