Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday proposed that the UN should adopt an International Yoga Day.
In his maiden address at the UN General Assembly, Modi said that for India "respect for nature is an integral part of spiritualism. We treat nature's bounties as sacred".
"Yoga is an invaluable gift of our ancient tradition," he said.
"Yoga embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; 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 us deal with climate change," the prime minister said.
"Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day," he said, speaking in Hindi.
