THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state observed the 9th International Day of Yoga by organising a slew of events. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the celebrations at an event held at Jimmy George Indoor Stadium.
Health Minister Veena George launched the Ayush Yoga Club at an event held in connection with International Yoga Day at Central Stadium. Ayush Yoga clubs will help to check lifestyle diseases, she said after launching the event.
“Many people give importance to a healthy lifestyle only after they become sick,” she said. Yoga Day observance is aimed at yoga training and to intensify activities to make yoga a part of everyday life. Yoga is gaining popularity among countries across the world, she said. The minister said the state health department and Ayush department are taking steps to take the message of yoga to every household. Ayush Yoga clubs were started as part of this. A total of 1,000 yoga clubs were organised at the grama panchayat level, she said.
The International Day of Yoga 2023 programme was organised at the Rajbhavan. Addressing the event, Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said that yoga not only helps individuals achieve physical fitness but also offers a path to attain mental calmness and spiritual upliftment. The event was held in association with the Central Bureau of Communication under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Khan said that yoga enables people to become service-oriented. He urged the students to train their minds and serve society. “Wherever there is a union of wisdom and action, there lies success, prosperity, and happiness,” he said.
The aim of the programme was to promote the significance and numerous benefits of yoga, encouraging individuals to adopt a holistic approach towards their physical and mental well-being. The theme of this year’s International Day of Yoga is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”. The event included a live yoga demonstration session with the students of Christ Nagar Central School, Thiruvananthapuram. Additional Chief Secretary to the Governor, Dr Davendra Kumar Dhodawat, and Additional Director General (Region) PIB & CBC, Shri V Palanichamy also addressed the event.
Various other organisations also organised events to celebrate the International Day of Yoga. As many as 350 students, athletes, trainees, faculty members, coaches and staff of SAI LNCPE participated in the mass yoga demonstration held at LNCPE Stadium. The principal of SAI G Kishore inaugurated the event.
Railways holds yoga practice session
Thiruvananthapuram Division of Southern Railway celebrated the International Day of Yoga at railway stations and institutions under it. S M Sharma, Divisional Railway Manager, Thiruvananthapuram Division, M Vijaya Kumar, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, officers, and staff participated in the yoga practice session held at Railway Kalyana Mandapam in Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram. Sharma addressed the participants and encouraged everyone to practice yoga to improve health and performance.
The authorities displayed yoga videos at various railway stations for the benefit of passengers.