“Yoga can help human life to aspire for constant growth,” said Modi, adding that the target “is to be more energetic at 50 than we were at 30.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 12th International Yoga Day (IYD) celebrations at Kolkata’s Red Road on Sunday morning, taking part in a mega event as thousands joined open-air yoga sessions across the state for the first time.
“Yoga is not just for a better personal life but for the world’s future,” Modi said in his inaugural address.
The celebrations started at 6:30 am when the Prime Minister reached the venue from Lok Bhawan (formerly Raj Bhawan), where he spent the night. He was accompanied by Governor R N Ravi, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Ayush Prataprao Yadav and other senior dignitaries.
“June 21 is the longest day in our part of the world, and now it is the day the world celebrates its biggest festival. Yoga has connected the world to India. It brings people together. Today I offer my best wishes to the world community,” Modi said.
“It is a special occasion for me to be in Bengal on International Yoga Day. Swami Vivekananda introduced Yoga to the world. It gives me a spiritual feeling to take part in a community yoga event here. Rabindranath Tagore said we belong to the world community. Rishi Aurobindo said Yoga connects us to spirituality even if we cannot feel it immediately,” Modi said, referring to several Bengali luminaries.
“This year’s theme is Yoga for Healthy Ageing. Yoga can keep us healthy even as we age. It means that age does not reduce human potential. Yoga can help human life aspire for growth. Our target must be to be more energetic at 50 than we were at 30. We must be more resistant to lifestyle diseases at 70 than we were at 50. This is where Yoga can help us,” Modi said.
“Yoga can help us tune our bodies to be flexible. It can increase our energy level. It can help us be calm, lead a stress-free life and keep lifestyle diseases away. With regular practice, yoga teaches us to be lifelong learners of our body and mind. The more we know ourselves, the better we can manage ourselves.