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In preparation for the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) on 21 June, a yoga session was organised at Chandra Shekhar Azad Park in Prayagraj on Monday morning, where participants performed various yoga poses.
The event was organised by the district administration. Meanwhile, highlighting the health benefits of yoga, Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani urged people to incorporate yoga as a part of their daily routine on Monday. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking yoga to the global stage. Speaker Devnani made the remarks while speaking to reporters after participating in a yoga rehearsal session at the Rajasthan Assembly ahead of the 11th International Day of Yoga. "Yoga is very important for a healthy mind, body and soul...I thank PM Modi, Baba Ramdev and many other organisations for promoting Yoga...We should make Yoga a part of our everyday life," he said. The preparations are gaining momentum across the country for the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY), scheduled for 21st June. Meanwhile, Visakhapatnam, selected as the national venue for this year's celebrations, witnessed a comprehensive field inspection and high-level review meeting by senior officials from the Ministry of Ayush and the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The inspection at ground level, led by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, and K Vijayanand, Special Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh, included senior officials such as Monalisa Dash, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, District Collector M N Harendhira Prasad, and heads of key departments including Health, Urban Planning, Ayush, and VMRDA. Their joint visit to the main sites--RK Beach, Rishikonda Beach, Andhra University, and GITAM University--underscored the scale and seriousness with which the event is being planned. These venues will not only host the main yoga demonstration but will also serve as centres for cultural, educational, and wellness activities, resonating with the Prime Minister's vision of yoga as a people-centric movement. During the review, detailed discussions were held on inter-departmental coordination, mobilisation strategies, security protocols, and cultural integration. Special emphasis was laid on the preparedness of infrastructure and public participation, ensuring that every logistical aspect aligns with the national ambition of making yoga a mass movement. Officials reviewed how various departments are coming together in a spirit of collaboration, echoing the PM's vision that yoga should unite institutions and communities in the service of collective well-being. At the heart of Andhra Pradesh's efforts is the pioneering "Yogandhra" initiative, which aims to transform yoga into a daily practice for more than two crore citizens across the state. Designed to mobilise communities at scale, Yogandhra includes mass awareness drives, yoga camps in schools and universities, and a targeted plan to create a certified pool of 20 lakh yoga practitioners. With IDY celebrations planned at one lakh locations across the state, and five lakh participants expected in Visakhapatnam alone, the initiative is a powerful embodiment of the Prime Minister's appeal to make yoga truly inclusive, accessible, and transformative. The Ministry of Ayush lauded the proactive leadership of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, stating that the state's ambitious scale and grassroots engagement model reflect the evolving spirit of IDY as a global wellness campaign rooted in Indian tradition. As June 21 approaches, Visakhapatnam stands ready to showcase how yoga can bridge communities, enhance well-being, and reflect India's commitment to "Yoga for One Earth, One Health." (ANI)
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