Aiming for record-breaking participation on Yoga day with 5 lakh participants: Andhra CM

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said that the state government will organise a record-breaking International Yoga Day on June 21 at Visakhapatnam, engaging five lakh participants in the port city and nearly two crore people across the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the yoga day celebrations in Visakhapatnam.

Addressing a press conference at his residence in Undavalli, the Chief Minister noted that the southern state is going to usher in a new chapter in history through the yoga day, which is a month away from today.

"This (yoga) is a gift to the world by India. Yoga is our long-time heritage but the person who brought it world-wide recognition is Prime Minister Narendra Modi," said Naidu.

The CM appealed to people to use their creativity to promote yoga as some are gifted in writing songs, some in drawing and other talents.

He called on print media to write excellent articles on yoga with facts and figures and requested electronic media to promote it every day.

According to CM, the state government will organise competitions to take the winners for front row participation on yoga day in Visakhapatnam.

Likewise, he observed that all schools should organise yoga sessions for an hour everyday in the run up to yoga day as they reopen. He added that yoga will be made a part of curriculum too.

Besides the door-to-door campaign on yoga, the CM noted that a state-level apex committee will be formed and similar setups will also be extended up to the village level for yoga promotion.

Naidu said Andhra Pradesh will become a trend setter and create proof of concept on yoga day. He said PM Modi has been organising yoga day with passion and also enjoying its health benefits.

Further, the CM claimed that 'there is no medicine for stress but yoga', calling on people to practice yoga for stress relief.

Naidu said the government will identify organisations such as Guinness Book of World Records and others to engage them for the record-breaking yoga day.

He said thousands of people will participate in yoga day activities on the beach in Vizag, starting from RK Beach and extending for up to several kilometres.

Moreover, the CM said the government will chalk out a plan on how to make yoga a year-long and life-long activity in everybody's lives.

Later, Naidu launched an app for yoga day registrations.