India
As the fourth edition of the International Yoga Day kicked off on Thursday, armed forces did their bit by organising yoga sessions across the country.
Updated : Jun 21, 2018, 10:33 AM IST
As the fourth edition of the International Yoga Day kicked off on Thursday, armed forces did their bit by organising yoga sessions across the country.
In Ladakh, Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel defied the biting cold weather and performed Surya Namaskar asana (posture), at an altitude of 18,000 feet. The jawans were seen doing yoga wrapped up with thick jackets and woollen caps to beat the chill.
'Surya namaskar' by #Himveers of #ITBP from icy height in high #Himalayas#InternationalDayofYoga #IYD2018 pic.twitter.com/n8cwdJbZGn
— ITBP (@ITBP_official) June 21, 2018
श्रमक्लमपिपासोष्णशीतादीनां सहिष्णुता । आरोग्यं चापि परमं व्यायामदुपजायते ॥
— ITBP (@ITBP_official) June 21, 2018
योगः, कर्मसु, कौशलम#Himveers practicing #yoga from 12 to 19K ft in the #Himalayas #InternationalYogaDay2018 #IYD2018 pic.twitter.com/0QQUfjaxe0
In Arunachal Pradesh's Lohitpur, the ITBP jawans went a step ahead and performed 'River Yoga', where the personnel were seen doing Surya Namaskar asana in the Digaru river.
ITBP jawans performing 'River Yoga' in Digaru river in Lohitpur, Arunachal Pradesh #InternationalYogaDay #IDY2018 #ZindagiRaheKhush #InternationalDayofYoga2018@ITBP_official @SpokespersonMoD @DefenceMinIndia @nsitharaman @MIB_India @PIB_India @moayush @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/oE1HWQ07BS
— Doordarshan News (@DDNewsLive) June 21, 2018
In Mumbai, Indian Navy personnel were performing various yoga asanas on board the INS (Indian Navy Service) Virat. Girish Luthra, Vice Admiral, Western Command was also seen flexing his muscles.
Indian Naval Ships Shakti and Kamorta of the Indian Navy's Eastern fleet, presently on a deployment in western Pacific ocean and south east Asia, practice Yoga #InternationalYogaDay2018 pic.twitter.com/EYGeUTYvmh
— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2018
Maharashtra: Navy personnel perform Yoga on board INS Virat, which is stationed in Mumbai. #InternationalYogaDay2018 pic.twitter.com/k8z4XhPOff
— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2018
Down south, on board the INS Jyothi in the Bay of Bengal off Visakhapatnam, the Eastern Naval Command Staff and Eastern Naval Command's submarine staff participated in the International Yoga Day celebrations.
Eastern naval command staff perform yoga on board INS Jyothi in Bay of Bengal off Visakhapatnam. Eastern Naval Command's submarine staff also participated in #InternationalYogaDay2018. pic.twitter.com/M1tmfUZM6r
— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2018
In Visakhapatnam, Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command and Navy personnel were seen flexing their muscles to mark the occasion.
Andhra Pradesh: Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command and navy personnel perform yoga at Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam. #InternationalYogaDay2018 pic.twitter.com/YfDNH4SnNp
— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2018
Navy personnel performed various yoga asanas onboard INS Jamuna off Kochi in Kerala.
Navy personnel perform Yoga onboard INS Jamuna off Kochi, Kerala. #InternationalYogaDay2018 pic.twitter.com/aqCVcuawmy
— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2018
@IndiaCoastGuard Director General Rajendra Singh & President Tatrakshika Mrs Urmila Singh leads the Coast Guard fraternity to celebrate 4th International Yoga Day #IDY2018 at Coast Guard Headquarters' lawn this morning. #ZindagiRaheKhush #AYUSH @PMOIndia @DefenceMinIndia pic.twitter.com/FmSypA99un
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) June 21, 2018
Yoga at 15000 Feet : #YogaDay2018 - A unique message of good health, happiness, harmony & peace from the Airwarriors of IAF. The Instructors of Paratroopers Training School of the India Air Force practicing Yoga in the Blue Sky. (Wg Cdr KBS Samyal & Wg Cdr Gajanand Yadav). pic.twitter.com/WgdzmOsiLR
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) June 20, 2018
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that Yoga has become one of the unifying forces of the world.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion here, Prime Minister Modi said, "In today's fast-changing time, Yoga binds together a person's body, brain and soul, hence making one experience a feeling of peace. Dehradun se Dublin tak, Shanghai se Chicago tak, Jakarta se Johannesburg tak, Yoga hi Yoga hai (From Dehradun to Dublin, Shanghai to Chicago, Jakarta to Johannesburg, there is Yoga all around). Yoga has become one of the unifying forces of the world."
Emphasising the power of yoga and its global reach, Prime Minister Modi said, "Yoga is India's gift to the world. It is a passport for wellness. The world has embraced Yoga and glimpses of this can be seen in the manner in which International Day of Yoga has been marked every year. In fact, Yoga Day has become one of the biggest mass movements in the quest for good health and well-being."
Along with the Prime Minister, around 50,000 yoga enthusiasts kick-started India's International Yoga Day celebrations at Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute.
The first International Day of Yoga was observed all over the world on June 21, 2015, where more than 30,000 people, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, performed yoga asanas at Rajpath in New Delhi.
The idea of International Day of Yoga was first proposed by Prime Minister Modi during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27, 2014.