Yoga remains a 'ray of hope' during COVID-19: PM Modi
On the occasion of International Day of Yoga, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said yoga remains a "ray of hope" as the world fights the coronavirus pandemic and asserted that in these difficult times it has become a source of inner strength. Addressing the seventh International Yoga Day program, Modi also spoke about the country's collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
M-Yoga application will help realize 'One World, One Health' motto
The collaboration will make available to the world the power of the M-Yoga application, which will carry videos of yoga training based on Common Yoga Protocol in different languages. This will help us in making the "One World, One Health" motto successful, he said. "At a time when the whole world is fighting the coronavirus pandemic, yoga remains a ray of hope," Modi said.
COVID-19 has not affected people's enthusiasm for Yoga Day: Modi
Modi noted that even though there haven't been any major public events in most countries, the enthusiasm for Yoga Day has not diminished. "For most of the countries, Yoga Day is not their age-old cultural festival and in this difficult time, people could have forgotten about it and ignored it, but on the contrary, people's enthusiasm for yoga has increased," he said.
Both yoga and medical science focus on 'healing'
"When COVID-19 hit the world, no country was prepared for it. We all have seen that in such difficult times, yoga has become a great source of inner strength," he said. "Yoga shows us the way from stress to strength and from negativity to creativity," he asserted. Modi noted that medical science also focuses on "healing" along with treatment, just like yoga does.
'Yoga prepares children physically to deal with COVID-19'
"Many schools now begin their online classes with yogic exercises like pranayam," he said, adding that this prepares children physically to deal with COVID-19. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that yoga will continue playing its preventive, as well as promotive role in the healthcare of the masses. President Ram Nath Kovind also greeted citizens and resonated the same thoughts as Modi.
Yoga is one of India's greatest gifts to world: President
The President said yoga is one of India's greatest gifts to the world. The International Yoga Day is celebrated with much fervor every year on June 21 since 2015, following its inception in the United Nations General Assembly in 2014.
