Finance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his thoughts with the people of the country and abroad in the 123rd episode of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat on Sunday.
Prime Minister Modi addressed key issues including health, yoga, and religious pilgrimages. Speaking about the Emergency, he urged countrymen to remember those who bravely fought against it, adding that it was a tough period for India.
In his address, the Prime Minister also spoke about the grand celebrations of International Yoga Day, noting that millions across the country and the world took part in the event held on June 21.
“You all must be full of the energy of yoga and memories of ‘International Yoga Day’,” the Prime Minister said. “This time as well, on the 21st of June, crores of people across the country and the world participated in the ‘International Yoga Day’. Do you remember, it began 10 years ago? Now, over these 10 years, this event is turning grand with every passing year. This is also an indication that more and more people are adopting yoga in their daily lives.”
He highlighted various celebrations across the country, including a massive yoga session where three lakh people performed yoga on the beach of Visakhapatnam. In another event in the same city, over 2,000 adivasi students performed 108 Surya Namaskars for 108 minutes, showcasing remarkable discipline and dedication.
A grand glimpse of yoga was also seen on Indian naval ships, while in Telangana, around 3,000 divyang participants came together for a large-scale yoga session. “They showed how yoga is also a medium of empowerment,” the Prime Minister remarked.
In Delhi, people linked yoga with the campaign for a clean Yamuna, performing yoga on its banks. In Jammu and Kashmir, participants practiced yoga on the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge. From the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, ITBP soldiers also took part, representing both courage and spiritual discipline.
The Prime Minister also noted a historic achievement in Vadnagar, Gujarat, where 2,121 people performed Bhujangasana together, setting a new record. Celebrations were not limited to India, with yoga sessions held in New York, London, Tokyo, and Paris—all radiating a common theme: peace, stability, and balance.
Referring to this year’s theme, ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’, PM Modi said, “This is not just a slogan; it is a direction which makes us realize the essence of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.” He expressed confidence that the scale and spirit of this year’s Yoga Day would inspire more people worldwide to embrace yoga.
