President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday participated in a mass yoga demonstration in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, as part of the nationwide celebrations marking the 12th International Day of Yoga. Addressing the gathering, the President described yoga as an invaluable gift of India’s cultural heritage and a powerful medium for promoting individual well-being, social harmony and global peace.
Extending her greetings to yoga practitioners across the world, President Murmu said International Yoga Day celebrates India’s ancient tradition that has shown humanity the path to a healthy, balanced and meaningful life.
“Yoga is a powerful medium for connecting the individual to the self, society to nature, and humanity to the vast universal consciousness,” she said, adding that yoga can play a significant role in guiding the world towards peace, balance, harmony and collective well-being at a time when humanity faces multiple challenges.
The President highlighted that the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in 2014 following India’s initiative, further strengthening yoga’s recognition as a global tool for health and wellness. She noted that millions of people across countries have since embraced yoga as part of their daily lives.
Referring to this year’s theme, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing,” President Murmu said it underscores the importance of yoga in ensuring a healthy, active, self-reliant and dignified life for senior citizens. She observed that the lifestyle choices people make today lay the foundation for their future health and well-being.
“Yoga helps individuals remain active and self-reliant even as they age. At the same time, it fosters mental peace and emotional balance,” she said.
The President also highlighted the Government of India’s efforts to promote yoga through education, research, training and public awareness initiatives. She expressed satisfaction that numerous organisations across the world are encouraging people to adopt yoga as a way of life.
President Murmu said the dedicated efforts of yoga institutions and practitioners would help take yoga to every individual and strengthen its role in promoting the well-being of humanity. She urged citizens to integrate yoga into their daily routines and contribute to building healthy individuals, healthy families, a healthy society, a healthy nation and a healthy world.
