Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday flagged off a state-level yoga marathon from the South Gate of the sacred Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra. The event was jointly organized by the Haryana Sports Department, AYUSH Department, Haryana Yog Aayog, and the District Administration as a precursor to the upcoming International Yoga Day on June 21.
Amid chants of wellness and enthusiasm, Saini showered flower petals on the participants and distributed cash prizes worth Rs 3.46 lakh to the top 20 winners in both men’s and women’s categories. Gaurav and Monica from Sonipat, who secured first place, were each awarded Rs 51,000.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that the yoga marathon has evolved into a Sankalp Yatra on the sacred land of Kurukshetra, dedicated to making Haryana Yoga-yukt, Nasha-mukt (yoga-practicing and drug-free). “Thousands of youths, elders, and women have enthusiastically joined this movement. So far, more than 19.27 lakh people have connected with this campaign, which is a matter of pride,” he said.
Saini added that on June 21, Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev will lead a mass yoga session at Brahma Sarovar. More than 20,000 youth participated in Sunday’s marathon, reinforcing the message that good health is foundational to progress. “One must dedicate at least one hour daily to health. A healthy individual contributes to a healthier and more efficient society,” he emphasized.
The Chief Minister said that this year’s International Yoga Day theme, One Earth, One Health, has been strengthened with Haryana’s own campaign slogan, Yoga-yukt, Nasha-mukt. “Addiction is a destructive force that hampers national progress. We must protect our youth from its grip,” he added.
Linking the initiative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, Saini called yoga a timeless gift from India’s sages that must be preserved and promoted. He noted that 67,508 saplings have already been planted under the Green Yoga Campaign, and 10 lakh medicinal plants will be distributed by June 21.
The campaign has reached 5,000 villages through the Yoga Jagran Yatra, with over 1.38 lakh participants from the Sports Department, 38,000 from AYUSH, and nearly 9.90 lakh digitally connected individuals. Additionally, 2,500 yoga camps are being planned across Haryana in collaboration with Patanjali, Art of Living, Brahma Kumaris, and Bharatiya Yoga Sansthan. A new 5-minute Y-break has also been introduced in offices to promote workplace wellness.