Prime Minister Narendra Modi accentuated the transformative global impact of yoga at the 10th International Yoga Day event held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar on Friday.
"The world is looking at yoga as a powerful agent of global good. Yoga helps us live in the present moment without the baggage of the past," Modi said, addressing the gathering.
The event, originally planned for the lawns of SKICC on the banks of Dal Lake, was moved indoors due to incessant rain.
Despite the weather, Modi praised the growing number of yoga practitioners worldwide, stating that yoga is becoming an integral part of daily life in many countries.
"The number of yoga followers is growing continuously. Wherever I go, there is hardly any international leader who does not talk to me about the benefits of yoga," he said, citing examples from Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, and Germany, where yoga is gaining popularity.
Modi also mentioned 101-year-old Frenchwoman Charlotte Chopin, who was awarded the Padma Shri for popularising yoga in France.
"We are now seeing yoga tourism in states like Uttarakhand and Kerala. People are coming to India to experience authentic yoga.
This has opened new avenues of livelihood," he said, noting that personal yoga trainers and corporate yoga programs are becoming more common.
Yoga, as Modi explained, provides solutions to modern problems by enhancing focus and mental clarity.
"Yoga is not only knowledge but it is science as well. In this era of information overload, yoga helps the mind to focus," he said.
He pointed out that yoga is now part of routines for the army, sports teams, and even space projects to boost productivity and tolerance. "In many prisons, inmates are also taught yoga so that they can think positively," he added.
Towards the end of his speech, Modi expressed satisfaction with the increasing popularity of yoga in Jammu and Kashmir, noting its potential to boost tourism in the Union Territory.
"I have been seeing since yesterday that yoga is becoming popular with the people of Srinagar and Jammu and Kashmir.
It is a big thing that 50,000 to 60,000 people are associated with yoga. This will attract more tourists here," he said.
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