New Delhi,: A virtual press meet was held today at the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine, Ministry of Ayush underscoring the significance of 10th edition of International Day of Yoga, Yoga for Self and Society.
Dr. N. Zaheer Ahmed, Director General, CCRUM emphasized that this year’s theme ‘Yoga for Self and Society’ highlighting yoga’s dual role in fostering individual and societal well-being. He presented an overview of a decade of progress in promoting yoga at the national and international levels. He said that the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has been a pivotal figure in promoting yoga globally. Since 2015, PM Modi has led the IDY celebrations at various iconic locations, including Kartavya Path in Delhi, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Ranchi, Jabalpur, and even the United Nations Headquarters in New York. His leadership has significantly boosted yoga’s global popularity and recognition.
He informed that in the last 10 years IDY has set four Guinness Book of World Records. In 2015, a total of 35,985 Indians performed Yoga at Rajpath along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A total of 84 countries participated in the yoga session at one place and gradually each year witnessed increasing number of participation from across the world and last year in 2023, a total of around 23.4 crore people from across the world participated in the IDY event.
He added that to promote technology and start-ups in the field of Yoga, the Ministry of Ayush has organized Yoga Tech Challenge on MyGov portal and MyBharat Portal of the Government of India which aims to identify and promote those start-ups or individuals who have developed Yoga related tools, Developed software and accessories products.
Dr. Ishwar V. Basavaraddi, Former Director, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga reflected on the journey of IDY since its inception, emphasizing its role in promoting overall health, promoting social values and a sense of community. “Yoga fosters unity between mind and body, promotes balance, self-control, and overall well-being,” he said. He also recalled the virtual celebrations during the global pandemic, which highlighted the importance of yoga in maintaining physical and mental health.
The press meet was moderated by Dr. Ghazala Javed, Assistant Director (Unani), CCRUM and attended by about 50 participants virtually.
