BENGALURU: Karnataka will celebrate the 12th International Yoga Day on June 21 with a large-scale state-level programme at Vidhana Soudha, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference, the minister said this year’s Yoga Day theme is ‘Yoga for Health, Knowledge and World Peace’, and the State Government aims to take yoga “from every home to everyone” through extensive awareness programmes across Karnataka.
The main Yoga Day event will be held from 6 am to 8 am on the premises of Vidhana Soudha with participation from nearly 5,000 yoga enthusiasts, AYUSH colleges, Yoga organisations and volunteers.
A 45-minute Yoga protocol demonstration prescribed by the Union Ministry of AYUSH will also be conducted.
Karnataka Governor Thawaarchand Gehlot will inaugurate the event. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, ministers, legislators and several dignitaries are expected to participate. Yoga gurus, international sportspersons and film personalities will also be invited.
The minister said that the State Government is planning programmes at the state, district and taluk levels, especially in rural areas, to spread awareness about yoga and promote the vision of ‘health for all’.
The Karnataka AYUSH Department has already issued guidelines and grants for various activities under the Yoga Day campaign.
As part of the preparations, the department has launched several innovative programmes across the state, including activities in 100 taluk administrative centres and 360 Ayushman Health Centres. In collaboration with the Government Ayurveda Research Centre, Mysuru, the department has also organised 12 national-level yoga competitions.
To create public awareness, posters for the Yoga Day celebrations were unveiled at Arogya Soudha.
The department has also planned a national symposium titled “Science Yoga” at Indian Institute of Science during the first week of June under the theme “Yoga for Health, Knowledge and World Peace.”