Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said yoga can help Jammu and Kashmir attract more tourists which will provide new livelihood opportunities to the local residents.
Addressing a gathering on the 10th International Yoga Day on the banks of Dal Lake here, the prime minister expressed gratitude for being present in Jammu & Kashmir, the land of Yog and Sadhna, on the occasion of International Day of Yoga. “The atmosphere, energy and experience from yoga can be felt in Jammu & Kashmir today”, Modi said. He conveyed his best wishes on the International Day of Yoga to all citizens and those practicing yoga in different parts of the world.
Noting the 10th anniversary of International Yoga Day, the Prime Minister recalled that a record 177 countries endorsed India’s proposal in the UN. He also mentioned subsequent records made in the context of IYD such as 35,000 people doing yoga on Kartavya Path in 2015 and more than 130 countries participating in the yoga event led by the Prime Minister at the UN Headquarters last year. He also expressed happiness that more than 100 institutes in India and 10 major foreign institutes have been recognized by the Yoga Certification Board formed by the Ministry of Ayush.
The Prime Minister underlined that the number of people practicing yoga is growing worldwide while its attraction is constantly on the rise. He highlighted that yoga’s utility is also being recognized by the people and stated that there is barely any world leader who has not discussed yoga during his interactions. “All world leaders show a keen interest in yoga during their interactions with me”, he said. He asserted that yoga has become a part of daily life in every corner of the world. Throwing light on the growing acceptance of yoga around the world, the Prime Minister recalled inaugurating a Yoga Center during his visit to Turkmenistan in 2015 and that yoga has become extremely popular in the country today. He further informed that State Medical Universities in Turkmenistan have included yoga therapy, Saudi Arabia has made it a part of their education system and Mongolian Yoga Foundation is running many yoga schools. Informing about the acceptance of yoga in Europe, the Prime Minister said that so far, 1.5 crore German citizens have become yoga practitioners. He also recalled India awarding a Padma Shree this year to a 101-year-old French yoga teacher for her contributions to yoga even though she had not visited India even once. He further added that yoga has become a topic of research today and multiple research papers have already been published.
Touching upon the changing notions about yoga due to its expansion in the last 10 years, the Prime Minister talked about a new Yoga Economy. He mentioned the growing attraction for yoga tourism and people’s desire to visit India to learn authentic yoga. He also mentioned yoga retreats, resorts, dedicated facilities for yoga at airports and hotels, yoga apparel and equipment, personal yoga trainers, and companies carrying out yoga and Mindfulness wellness initiatives. All these are creating new avenues of employment for the youth, he added.
Talking about the theme of this year’s IYD -‘Yoga for Self and Society’, PM Modi said that the world is looking at yoga as a powerful agent of global good and it enables us to live in the present without the baggage of the past. PM Modi emphasized, “Yoga helps us realize that our welfare is related to the welfare of the world around us. When we are peaceful within, we can also make a positive impact on the world.”
Stressing the scientific aspects of yoga, the Prime Minister highlighted its importance for coping with information overload and maintaining focus as, he said, concentration is the greatest power. That is why, the Prime Minister explained, yoga is being incorporated in fields ranging from army to sports. Astronauts are also being trained in yoga and meditation. Yoga is also being used in prisons to spread positive thoughts among the inmates. “Yoga is scripting new pathways of positive change in the society”, PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that inspiration derived from yoga will give positive energy to our efforts. The Prime Minister lauded the enthusiasm of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, especially Srinagar, towards yoga and said that it provides a platform to boost the tourism of the Union Territory. He also praised the spirit of the people to come out and show their support despite the rainy weather conditions. “Association of 50,000 to 60,000 people with yoga program in Jammu & Kashmir is huge”, he added. The Prime Minister concluded his address by thanking the people of Jammu & Kashmir for their support and participation and conveyed his best wishes to all Yoga enthusiasts from around the world.

KR Desk