3rd edition of International Yoga Day was celebrated across India on June 21, 2017 with several government and private institutions organising yoga events for the masses.
2017 International Yoga Day theme is ‘Yoga for Health’
Background Information:
The idea of an International Day of Yoga was the first proposed by the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, on 27 September 2014.
- On December 11, 2017, the United Nations declared June 21 as the International Yoga Day.
- International Yoga Day is celebrated annually on 21 Junesince its first edition in year 2015.
- 21 June was suggested as the date for international Yoga Day as it is thelongest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and shares special significance in many parts of the world.
- The first International Yoga Day function held on June 21, 2015, at Rajpath in Delhi witnessed Narendra Modi performing Yoga along with over 200 million people across the country and over 37,000 people in Delhi alone.
- The second edition was held in Chandigarh with the participation of over 30,000 people in the presence of the Prime Minister.
3rd International Yoga Day Celebrations Across India:
This year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Lucknow where he performed yoga along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and 51,000 participants at Ramabhai Ambedkar Sabha Sthal.
- The NDA’s choice for President, Ram Nath Kovind, performed yoga at Central Park in Delhi.
- Indian missions in the Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States, among other countries, held programmes on yoga with participants from various sections of society.
- The French Embassy in India also held a Yoga and music programme on June 21, 2017.
- On June 21, 2017, apart from the national capital, every state organised the International Yoga Day events at all levels.
- Government institutions such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) also held an event to mark the day with faculty members and students performing Yoga.
- To familiarise Yoga with the lives of citizens, the AYUSH Ministry had started one-month free yoga camp through the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy in almost every district of the country.
Nearly 3 Lakh perform Yoga at one place, set World Record:
Nearly three lakh people, led by Baba Ramdev, turned up at GMDC ground in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on the International Yoga Day on June 21, 2017 to perform asanas.
- BJP president Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel were also present at the venue.
- After the one-and-a-half hour long session, Baba Ramdev claimed that the event has made it to the Guinness World Records book with nearly three lakh people performing yoga at one place. The previous record was made in Delhi on June 21, 2015, when 35,985 people did yoga at Rajpath with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Officials of the Guinness World Records book were also present at the event. Baba Ramdev said the officials will declare the final figure of the participants after tabulating the data based on the bar code tag given to each person at the entry gates.
Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, Pune selected PM’s Yoga award
The Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute of Pune has been selected as the first recipient of the Prime Minister’s award for outstanding contribution for promotion and development of yoga 2017.
Background Information:
Last year, at the 2nd International Day of Yoga celebrations at Chandigarh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the institution of awards for the promotion of Yoga.
Selection Procedure:
- The Ministry of AYUSH had developed the guidelines for the awards and two committees — screening committee (for preliminary evaluation) and evaluation committee (Jury)– were constituted so that a transparent process is followed in finalising the awards.
- The jury, chaired by the cabinet secretary, with the additional secretary to the prime minister, the foreign secretary, secretary (AYUSH), and Veerendra Heggade as members, examined the screening committee’s recommendations.
About Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, Pune:
The Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute has worked to spread yoga internationally. The institute has published several books on yoga and these have been translated into multiple languages.
8000 students attempt to break longest yoga chain record in Mysuru palace
On June 21, 2017, more than 8,000 school children formed the “longest yoga chain” in front of the iconic Mysuru Palace in Karnataka to create a new world record.
- More than 44 schools across Mysuru took part in the record-breaking attempt that saw participation by 8387 students.
- The participating children performed four asanas as part of the attempt.
- The students took 10 seconds to demonstrate each asana and all were completed in just 40 seconds.
World’s second biggest celebrations of International Yoga Day to be held in China after India
In China, on International Yoga Day (June 21), thousands of Chinese participated in several yoga events organised across the country.
- Officials said, it was the second biggest yoga day celebration in the world after India.
- Beijing’s iconic Great Wall as well as numerous parks, lakes and resorts across China became venues for the both official and unofficial yoga events being held with active support of Chinese government bodies.
- The Indian Embassy in Beijing besides Indian Consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou organised dozens of events commemorating the events featuring Chinese officials.
- A first yoga college outside India has been set up with joint collaboration of India and China in Yunnan Minzu University in Kunming.
