 "Yoga Day spreads message of 'One Family, One Earth' across the globe")
‘Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam’ is this year’s International Day of Yoga (IDY) theme. It highlights the continuing, intrepid, and persistent efforts of all involved in IDY to build a world that is holistically healthy, joyous, peaceful, and dynamic. Yoga brings in positive energy, and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam’ is seeing and believing in the world as one big family. Seen in this way, the ancient traditional practice of India, that is Yoga, becomes a powerful driving force to realise the prayer of yore: ‘Sarve bahvantu sukhina, sarve santu niramaya" (may all become happy and may all become disease-free’).
At the very outset, I reiterate that Ayush as a whole has made tremendous progress in the last nine years. It is the visionary approach, farsightedness and the deep understanding of traditions of India of our Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji that made Ayush grow in leaps and bounds. His unfailing commitment towards the service of multitudes, and desire to see India excelling in every field resulted in IDY being celebrated across the globe wherein every year the number of participants increased manifold. Our Honourable Prime Minister, way back in 2014, gave the “mantra” of global wellbeing and holistic health before the member states of the United Nations in the form of a proposal of International Day of Yoga celebration on June 21 every year. The member states of the UN accepted the proposal unanimously then, and now the world is adopting it wholeheartedly.
‘Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam” is not a making of one day. It is a theme which is well thought out, discussed, reflected upon by many and envisioned by our Hon’ble Prime Minister. Representatives of G20 Nations and SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) member countries and partners of SCO also hold Yoga in high esteem. This year, the delegations from various countries will be practicing Yoga in India on International Yoga Day.
International Day of Yoga, as we see it now, is the making of increased acceptance of Yoga en masse, whole government approach wherein each ministry of the government of India, and all the stakeholders working in synergy. The Ministry of External Affairs encourages Indian embassies; Indian missions abroad and consulates worldwide to organise yoga events on the occasion of the International Day of Yoga. This promotes Yoga among the global community and strengthens India's cultural diplomacy. Similarly, other Ministries too, work in the field of their relative strength.
To realise the full potential of IDY’s 2023 theme, the first and foremost task is to reach out to the every nook and corner of the world. Last year we had “Guardian Ring of Yoga” for this purpose. This year we are having Yoga demonstrations for the “Ocean Ring”, and as “Yoga from Arctic to Antarctica"—countries falling on or near the prime meridian line. These two observations on June 21 will not only increase the involvement of the global communities, but also demonstrate that Yoga is a life-sustaining force, come what may be the situation or place be. Yoga will also happen in the North and South Pole regions, at Himadri, the Indian research base in Svalbard, Arctic; and at Bharti, the third Indian research base in Antarctica.
To involve every section, class, group in the IDY2023 celebration, different programmes are being executed on International Day of Yoga in our country too. Yog Bharatmala will be created which will witness participation from Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Border Roads Organization. Amrit Sarovars of the Ministry of Rural Development will also be part of this year’s celebrations. The Ministry of Education, Ministry of Defence along with other key ministries of the government of India are part and parcel of this celebration. This also reflects the whole government approach. The idea is to clearly show that IDY is every one’s affair and each one of us has a part to play.
Common Yoga Protocol will be observed at Village level and for this common service centres are also roped in. Ayush Health & Wellness Centres under National Ayush Mission will also witness observance of Common Yoga Protocol. This will happen in all the Health and Wellness Centres across India. CYP will be practiced in all Ayush facilities like Educational Institutes, Hospitals etc. One Ayush Gram of each state will also participate in CYP practice and for this Yoga trainers are appointed in identified villages so that the status of “Sampoorna Yoga Gram '' can be achieved. The ultimate objective is to achieve “Har Aagan Yoga” by taking to rural & remote areas, for this provision has been made to train people in Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) in more than 2 lakh villages in India.
This year, our Honourable Prime Minister will lead a Yoga demonstration at United Nations headquarters in New York. I am sure this will garner big support for Yoga at international level. Also, the main event of this year's IDY will take place in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, on June 21. Honourable Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, will lead a mass yoga demonstration at Garrison ground, Jabalpur. The Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Mangubhai Patel, Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Minister of State of Ayush Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai, and other dignitaries will also attend.
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As we inch forward toward the IDY 2023 celebration, every minute, every second and every place acquires importance of higher degree. Every one of us has a role to play to make IDY2023 a grand success. Take some time and immerse yourself in the curative and healing power of Yoga, as I myself do daily. Believe me; this Year’s IDY is special as ‘Yoga’ is combined with the power of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam”.
The writer is Union Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
These are the personal opinions of the writer. They do not reflect the views of www.business-standard.com or the 'Business Standard' newspaper.