Officials of the Directorate of AYUSH, Mizoram

Invitees

Dear participants

I am very happy to be with you this morning, as we celebrate the 9th edition of the International Day of Yoga.

Those who are present here are well aware of the importance of Yoga in our lives, and the mental and physical well being one can experience when practising yoga on a daily basis.

Yoga originated thousands of years ago in ancient India.

It has gained more popularity in recent years, especially in the western world.

Today, more than ever, people are in dire need of such a practice that will help them lead a peaceful life in a stress free manner.

The International Day of Yoga was first proposed by our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the United Nations General Assembly in 2014.

Hon’ble Prime Minister said, “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help in well being.”

The draft resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga as proposed by India was endorsed by a record 175 nations. Recognizing its universal appeal, on 11 December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga.

Today, yoga is known all over the world. It is an important asset of India’s soft power.

The theme for this year's International Day of Yoga is ‘Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.’

This year’s theme captures the essence of our country’s guiding philosophy for ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future.’ The theme of ‘One World, One Health’ is in line with India’s traditional spirit of the universal brotherhood of mankind.

One major appeal of Yoga is that it can be easily practised anywhere with minimal costs. In Mizoram, it is an unfortunate fact that we have high incidences of lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, etc. In addition, a lot of our youth are suffering from anxiety and depression.

I believe that Yoga may be a viable option as we attempt to mitigate these various physical and mental problems.

I congratulate the Directorate of AYUSH for successfully organizing today’s programme.

As we celebrate along with the country and the rest of the world, I convey my best wishes to all of you on this happy occasion of the International Day of Yoga 2023.

Thank you.

Jai Hind.