Centre's Big International Yoga Day Plan: A Look At Ministers' Schedule

The government has planned several events to mark the International Yoga Day on June 21 with Union Ministers and BJP leaders participating in yoga sessions and other related programmes across the country. While Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will be in Odisha, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will lead a yoga session on INS Vikrant.

Ashwini Vaishnaw will visit Odisha's Balasore on Wednesday, weeks after a tragic train accident in the district on June 2 that killed 290 people. His visit coincides with the International Yoga Day.

The minister will be meeting and thanking doctors, nurses, and medical staff who played a crucial role in rescuing and assisting the victims during the challenging time of the tragic accident. He will also review the situation and will be holding multiple meetings with the concerned authorities. Mr Vaishnaw will also be attending a yoga function.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also lead a yoga session for the first time at United Nations Headquarters on the 9th International Day of Yoga.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will do yoga on India's indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will lead yoga day celebrations from AIIMS in Delhi.

The Union Ministry of Tourism has organised celebrations in Goa's Rajbhavam where G20 Ministers and delegates will actively participate in a yoga session.

A grand event will be held in Garrison Ground in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh on June 21 to mark International Yoga Day which will be telecast live in 80 countries, an official said.

The theme of the 9th International Yoga Day is 'vasudev kutumbakam ke liye Yog' (Yoga for the world as a global village), Jabalpur Collector Saurabh Suman said.

The International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness of the many benefits of yoga. The draft resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and endorsed by a record 175 member states.

The proposal was first introduced by PM Modi in his address during the opening of the 69th session of the General Assembly, in which he said, "Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action ... a holistic approach [that] is valuable to our health and well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature."