Students stretch, bend to mark International Yoga Day

Thousands of school and college students across the country struck various poses and talked about the benefits of the ancient physical and spiritual discipline during events to celebrate the International Yoga Day on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the celebrations at Ramabai Ambedkar Sabha Sthal in Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow and said the young were captivated by yoga, an age-old tradition propounded by saints and seers.

He addressed the people at the ground and surprised everybody by descending on the ground to join the students waiting to perform yoga.

The theme for the third edition to mark the discipline this year is Yoga for Harmony and Peace.

New Delhi

Nearly 3000 students participated in the International Yoga Day event at Kendriya Vidyalaya No 2 in the Delhi Cantonment area of the national capital. They sang songs about yoga and performed the asanas as the school’s yoga teacher DB Sharma explained how the various exercises help.

A student of Class 6, Sarthak, too talked about the benefits of yoga. Children from other schools were also a part of the programme and took a pledge to maintain good physical, mental and moral health.

Chief guest Santosh Kumar Mall, the commissioner of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, addressed the students and announced the construction of a yoga platform at the school amidst a huge round of applause.

A large number of students, faculty members and officials of the Jamia Millia Islamia also performed yoga in various faculties, departments and hostels of the central university.

The main event was held at the MAK Pataudi Sports Complex early in the morning where volunteers of National Service Scheme and National Cadet Corps took part in performing yoga. Residents of the boys and girls hostels too kick-started their day with yoga in their respective hostels.

“Yoga is an age-old tradition of India with tremendous health benefits. It is important that our young people make it a part and parcel of their daily lives so that they can lead a happy, healthy and energetic life,” vice-chancellor Talat Ahmad said.

Physical and mental fitness are both very important if students are to unleash their full academic potential, Ahmad added.

Lucknow

Thousands braved heavy rains to take part in the third International Yoga Day events held across the city on Wednesday. It rained on yoga day for the second consecutive year in the city but could not dampen the spirit of yoga enthusiasts.

Lucknow’s Army Public School conducted a yoga workout to celebrate the day as all staff and students participated in the programme. The day started with warm up exercises followed by asanas and pranayama at the school in Sardar Patel Marg. The school rang out with chants of Om, that is said to energise and purify the environment.

Addressing students, the principal of the school Prerna Mitra expressed her gratitude and congratulated the participants. She said yoga is a symbol of universal aspiration for health and well-being rejuvenating the mental and physical energies.

At the School of Management Sciences, a yoga session was held between 9:30am to 11am and attended by the faculty members, students and the office employees of the institute.

Bharat Raj Singh, senior environmentalist and head of the Center for Vedic Science, said the tradition of practising yoga dates back to over 10,000 years ago. It finds its value in Rig Veda, Upanishads and many other Hindu scriptures, he added.

“Yoga has the power of healing up mental traumas and other bodily ailments. It leads to better concentration of mind and makes our body healthy and disease free by fighting bacterial infection and raising immunity in our body,” said Singh.

Mumbai

KPB Hinduja College in Mumbai marked the day in association with Kaivalyadham – the oldest yoga institute in the world. They also celebrated a yoga week from June 12 to June 21.

The 10-day program was open for all and was aimed at helping students and teachers to bring in the new academic year with renewed vigour.

Experts say yoga is an effective tool for children and young adults to deal with stress and brings a balance to one’s body and soul.