Mandaviya leads Yoga Day celebrations with 1500 participants in Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday led the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations in the capital, performing asanas alongside more than 1500 enthusiasts at the Cycling Velodrome in Indira Gandhi Stadium, and declared actors Rakulpreet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani as 'Fit India Icons'.

Dr Mandaviya joined participants including over 400 volunteers from the 'My Bharat' platform at the Fit India Cult Yogathon, held under the Ayush Ministry’s nationwide Yoga Sangam initiative, themed “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”.

The event saw the presence of sportspersons like Olympian Priyanka Goswami and former India hockey captain Rani Rampal, as well as celebrities Madhurima Tuli, Rakulpreet and Bhagnani.

“I extend best wishes to everyone on the occasion of International Day of Yoga. Yoga is our culture and it should be included in our everyday life,” Mandaviya said.

“Yoga Day is being celebrated across the country as part of Yoga Sangam with the theme of ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health'." "Through Fit India Cult Yogathon, the Sports Ministry is also celebrating the International Day of Yoga. I urge all citizens to perform Yoga regularly to stay healthy and stay fit. Yoga is a mantra for fitness and healthy life.” He also recognised Rakulpreet and Bhagnani, who also participated in the yoga session, as 'Fit India Icons', presenting them with official certificates.

“I am very pleased to see how our Hon’ble Sports Minister is himself leading the initiative like Sundays on Cycle to create awareness about fighting obesity and air pollution," actor-producer Bhagnani said.

"I was 150kgs at one time and reduced my weight to 75kgs now and I find great motivation by the work done by our Sports Minister. I am super happy to be here for Yogathon,” Bhagnani added.

Rakulpreet called it “a matter of great honour” to receive the accolade.

“I really hope that me and Jackky can influence more and more people to make fitness a way of life. Yoga doesn’t require any fancy gyms, one can comfortably perform it inside their homes,” said Rakulpreet.

The association of Cult Fit and the Fit India movement has brought the public-private sector together where more than 100 centres of Cult Fit are attempting 1 million surya namaskars.

Hailing the intiative, the 2018 Asian Games silver medal-winning skipper Rampal said, "A fit and healthy nation only can build a Viksit Bharat as our Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has said.

"What I have noticed is that our Hon’ble Sports Minister is taking out time every week from his busy schedule for fitness-related activities, then we as citizens must also do so.

"I really like the slogan ‘One earth, one health’ for today’s yogathon and I can say that health is our real wealth,” Rani Rampal said.

Goswami said, “For a sport like racewalking, it becomes tough to control your mind for a distance of 30-35 kilometres. Your mind wavers after every kilometre. So, yoga becomes important.

"Through daily meditation I try to control my mind. I want to tell the youth that our priority should be to do physical activity and indulge in healthy nutrition and not in drug, this will only make our nation fitter.” Meanwihle, MoS Raksha Nikhil Khadse led the 'Yoga Sangam' event in her constituency Jalgaon.

The event on Saturday in Delhi featured varied forms of yoga, including yoga nidra and meditation, with the Ministry reaffirming its commitment to promoting wellness through the ancient practice. PTI TAP DDV