Programmes were held by various Government departments and institutions to mark the occasion of International Yoga Day on Friday. Educational institutions and voluntary organisations also held yoga programmes on the occasion.
Governor Baby Rani Maurya and all the officials of Raj Bhawan performed Yoga in the Raj Bhawan complex. Speaking on the occasion, Maurya said that Yoga has become part of lifestyle of global community. It is not only a physical exercise but also a medium to maintain balance between thinking and work. She appealed that people should make Yoga a part of their routine and disseminate the message of world peace, good health and love.
At the Vidhan Sabha, the Speaker Prem Chand Agrawal joined staff and officers of the Assembly in practicing Yogic exercises on the occasion. In Rishikesh, for the first time the India Travel Mart is being held coinciding with the International Yoga Day. Delegates attending the event practiced Yoga on the banks of the Ganga in the morning. After professional interactions during the day at the travel mart, they participated in the Ganga Arti in the evening. The State’s tourism secretary Dilip Jawalkar said that on this occasion, the national and international travel operators would get to know the scope for Yoga, wellness, spirituality and adventure in Uttarakhand which would increase the flow of tourists in the state. Uttarakhand has been a historical centre of Yoga and spirituality but this fact needs to reach every last person interested in Yoga, wellness and spirituality. Cultural programmes were also held on the occasion.
At the ONGC headquarters, a Yoga camp was organised to mark the fifth International Yoga Day. Keshava Deva Malaviya Institute of Petroleum Exploration head Harilal, executive director and corporate administration head Preeta Pant Vyas and museum head Shiverendra Singh jointly inaugurated the camp. The Yoga session included breathing and meditation exercises followed by relaxation techniques. Yogic postures beneficial for back pain, stiffness of joints, arthritis and headache were practiced under the guidance of Yoga instructors.
At the Forest Research Institute, about 250 persons participated in the yoga exercises. Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) director general SC Gairola and FRI director AS Rawat also expressed their views on the occasion.