International Yoga Day: 70 diplomats from 35 countries participate in celebrations in New Delhi

Over 15,000 people, including 70 diplomats, on Tuesday took part in International Yoga Day celebrations at seven venues in the national capital.

At Connaught Place, where Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu was the chief guest and Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi also participated, 9,000- 10,000 people turned up for the event, according to a senior NDMC official.

The AYUSH Ministry helped organise events at six other locations - Lodhi Garden, Nehru Park, Talkatora Garden, Swarn Jayanti Park in Rohini, Yamuna Sports Complex in Patparganj and District Park in Dwarka. At least 100 Resident Welfare Associations selected by the ministry also hosted Yoga Day events. At Nehru Park, approximately 2,000 people turned up for the event.

Among those who were present were nearly 70 diplomats from 35 countries, including Japan, Sri Lanka and United States, according to an official of AYUSH Ministry. Thousands of police personnel too celebrated Yoga Day in all districts of Delhi Police.

The Delhi government held a separate event at the Chhatrasal Stadium which was presided over by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. President Pranab Mukherjee too celebrated the Day with 1,000 people participating with him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Fifty-seven Union ministers across the country joined the masses to celebrate the day. Ten ministers, including Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Nirmala Sitharaman, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Maneka Gandhi attended yoga events in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

Around 200 officials and employees of the Civil Aviation Ministry and Airports Authority of India (AAI), including Secretary R N Choubey, performed various Yoga asanas at the lawns of the Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan. 

Gurgaon-based carrier SpiceJet participated in the exercise with 40-crew members undertaking a 10-minutes session on board. Doctors at the AIIMS, including its director MC Misra, also marked the day.

"Yoga is a way of life and it should be part of every one's life. Yoga keeps several health complications away if done regularly with dedication," said Misra.

The participants also included many non-medical staff of AIIMS. Health Minister JP Nadda tomorrow will inaugurate a centre focused on scientific evidence of the therapeutic benefits of Yoga at the Convergence Block of AIIMS.