(Forelines) – The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on Saturday at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, for the 11th International Day of Yoga (IYD) celebration. The PM Modi participated in the yoga practice and oversaw the celebrations of International Yoga Day, according to India’s PMO in a press release.
Speaking at the event, the PM Modi wished everyone in India and throughout the world a very happy International Yoga Day, emphasizing that this year is the eleventh time that people from all over the world have joined together to practice yoga on June 21.
PM Modi said “To unite” is the essence of yoga and it is encouraging to see how yoga has brought people together globally.
PM Modi reflected on the development of yoga over the past decade and recalling the time India brought up the concept of International Yoga Day at the UN. He pointed out that 175 nations backed the plan, which is an unusual sign of such broad international support. He also emphasized that the support was not just for a proposal but rather reflected a global endeavor for the benefit of all people.
“Today, after 11 years, we see that yoga has become a part of the lifestyle of millions of people around the world. I feel proud when I see that our Divyang friends read Yoga Shastras in Braille, scientists do yoga in space, young friends in villages participate in Yoga Olympiad. Look here, a very wonderful yoga program is going on in all the Navy ships. Be it the steps of the Sydney Opera House, or the peak of Everest, or the expanse of the ocean, the message everywhere is the same – Yoga belongs to all, and is for all. Yoga is for everyone, beyond boundaries, beyond backgrounds, beyond age or ability,” PM Modi Said in a statement, as per PMO.
PM Modi expressed his happiness at being in Visakhapatnam, calling the city a nexus of progress and nature. He also praised the people for organizing the event so well and congratulated Shri Pawan Kalyan and Shri Chandrababu Naidu for their leadership.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that Andhra Pradesh started the Yogandhra Abhiyan, a noteworthy project, under their direction. Additionally, he expressed his gratitude for Shri Nara Lokesh’s efforts, saying that he had shown how yoga could be a genuine social event and how all sections of society could be included. He said Shri Lokesh has demonstrated exceptional dedication through the Yogandhra Abhiyan over the last one to one and a half months, and his efforts are commendable.
“I have been told that more than two crore people are associated with the YogAndhra campaign. This is the spirit of public participation which is the main basis of Viksit Bharat.
PM Modi stated that no objective is insurmountable when folks actively participate and take ownership of a mission. He also stated that throughout the ceremony in Visakhapatnam the people’s goodwill and ardent efforts were evident.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the topic of this year’s International Day of Yoga, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” highlights a profound reality: all living things on Earth are interconnected in terms of their health. He stated health of the soil that yields our food, the rivers that provide our water, the animals who coexist in our ecosystems, and the plants that provide us with nourishment are all essential to our well-being.
PM Modi said how yoga helps us discover this interconnectedness and leads us on a path to worldly unity.
“Yoga teaches us we are not isolated individuals but integral parts of nature. Initially, we learn to care for our own health and wellness, but gradually, this care expands to our environment, society, and the planet. Yoga is a profound personal discipline that, at the same time, serves as a collective system—one that transitions individuals from Me to We”, Indian Prime Minister Modi said in a statement, according to PMO.
“This sentiment of ‘Me to We’ is the essence of the soul of India. When a person thinks about the society above his own interests, only then the entire humanity is benefited. Indian culture teaches us, सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः, that is, the welfare of all is my duty. This journey from ‘Me’ to ‘We’ is the basis of service, dedication and co-existence. This thinking promotes social harmony,” PM Modi added.
PM Modi expressed concern about the rising levels of stress, unrest, and instability around the world and said that yoga provides a way to find serenity during these times.
“Yoga is the pause button humanity needs,to breathe, to balance, to become whole again”, PM Modi added in a statement.
“I would like to make a request to the world community on this important occasion. Let this Yoga Day mark the beginning of Yoga for Humanity 2.O, where Inner Peace becomes Global Policy,” he further added.
PM Modi emphasized the need for yoga to develop into a platform for international collaborations rather than just a personal practice and urged all countries and societies to incorporate yoga into their public policies and way of life. He also saw everyone working together to create a society that is sustainable, balanced, and peaceful.
“Yoga should guide the world from conflict to cooperation, and from stress to solutions”, PM Modi further stated.
The Prime Minister emphasized India’s efforts to advance yoga science through cutting-edge research to facilitate its international spread, pointing out that top medical schools in the nation are actively involved in yoga research with the goal of establishing the practice’s scientific applicability in modern medicine. He emphasized how India’s medical and research institutions are advancing evidence-based therapy in the realm of yoga.
PM Modi congratulated the New Delhi-based All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for its outstanding work in this area. According to research from AIIMS, yoga has been demonstrated to have a major effect on the treatment of neurological and cardiac conditions as well as on the physical and emotional wellness of women.
PM Modi stated that the National Ayush Mission is vigorously promoting yoga and wellness throughout the nation. He said that digital technology has been a major factor in this endeavor. The Yoga Portal and YogAndhra Portal have registered over a million events nationally, demonstrating the impressive growth of yoga’s popularity in the nation. He also claimed that the volume of activities occurring throughout India is indicative of yoga’s expanding popularity.
PM Modi noted that yoga is playing a significant part in the growing popularity of the “Heal in India” mantra worldwide and highlighted India’s rise as a top healing destination and he expressed satisfaction about the creation of a Common Yoga Protocol to standardize practice.
Underlining the efforts of the Yoga Certification Board, which has trained more than 6.5 lakh volunteers, and recognised around 130 institutions, the Prime Minister also noted the inclusion of a 10-day yoga module in medical colleges as part of building a holistic wellness ecosystem. He further informed that trained yoga teachers are being deployed across Ayushman Arogya Mandirs nationwide
The Prime Minister declared the availability of special e-Ayush visas in order to guarantee that the international community gains from India’s wellness ecosystem.
PM Modi brought attention to the problem of obesity, describing it as a growing worldwide concern. He recalled his detailed discussion of the subject on the Mann Ki Baat show and his challenge to cut daily dietary oil consumption by 10%. The Prime Minister reaffirmed his call for participation in this endeavor from Indian and international citizens.
PM Modi said that reducing oil consumption, avoiding unhealthy diets, and doing yoga are essential elements of a healthy lifestyle and emphasized the need to raise awareness about how people can reduce oil consumption in their meals by at least 10%.
PM Modi urged everyone to turn yoga into a jan andolan, or people’s movement, with the goal of guiding the globe toward harmony, health, and peace. He advocated for everyone to start their day with yoga in order to achieve harmony in their lives and for yoga to be embraced by all societies in order to reduce stress.
According to PMO, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up by saying, “Yoga should serve as a thread that weaves humanity together, Yoga for One Earth, One Health should become a global resolution”.