Multi-Faith Leaders and Soldiers Celebrate Yoga Day in Leh with PM Modi’s Support

On June 21, multi-faith leaders gathered in Leh, Ladakh, to celebrate the 10th UN International Day of Yoga. The event was organized by the Indian Minorities Foundation, and the leaders praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making yoga a global phenomenon.

Bhikku Sanghsena, Leader of the Maha Bodhi International Meditation Centre, said, “I believe this is an excellent initiative under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Yoga started from India but it remained limited to our country and did not spread much across the world. It is through the initiative of PM Modi that it has spread to every nook and cranny of the world.”

Swami Dayadhipanada, Medical Superintendent of Ramakrishna Mission Hospital, added, “PM Modi has successfully made it an international yoga day wherein people from all parts of the world are practicing yoga for unity and for health and wellness. In modern times, lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol are increasing. All these diseases can be prevented, or rather reversed, by a proper way of life, which we call yoga’s way of life.”

Meanwhile, sailors onboard India’s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, Indian Army personnel, and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel also participated in yoga sessions at various high-altitude locations, including Pangong Tso and Karzok in Leh, and Muguthang Sub Sector in Sikkim.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed yoga at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar. He urged people to make yoga a part of their daily lives, stating, “As we mark the 10th International Day of Yoga, I urge everyone to make it a part of their daily lives. Yoga fosters strength, good health, and wellness. Wonderful to join this year’s programme in Srinagar.”

This year’s theme, “Yoga for Self and Society,” emphasizes yoga’s vital role in fostering both individual well-being and societal harmony.