The 11th International Day of Yoga was celebrated on a large scale in Haryana’s Kurukshetra, with the state’s Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, BJP MP Naveen Jindal, and Patanjali Ayurved co-founder Ramdev in attendance among others.
Speaking to the media, Saini said his government had introduced five-minute breaks in offices – both government and private – to reduce stress, boost energy and underscore the importance of yoga to overcome fatigue.
Saini said they had reinforced the importance of celebrating yoga by spreading the message of fighting drug abuse on the day. “Today, on the occasion of Yoga Day, we said ‘Yoga Yukt aur Nasha Mukt’ Haryana,” he said.
The CM said that his government was making efforts to make Haryana free from drug abuse by initiating events like cyclathons and marathons, and offering incentives to village heads (sarpanchs) to try and make their villages and wards drug-free.
Meanwhile, yoga guru Ramdev hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of transforming India into a developed country by 2047, saying it is based on the foundation of yoga.
“Yoga has become a mass movement and should be a part of everyone's daily life,” he said, urging the population to practice meditation every day for 10-20 minutes.
The theme for this year’s International Day of Yoga was ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’, which echoes India’s vision of global wellness and reflects the integrated vision of well-being.
It emphasised the interconnectedness of human and planetary health, drawing from the Indian ethos of "Sarve Santu Niramaya" (May all be free from disease).
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