Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, on June 21, 2024, led the Armed Forces in celebrating the 10th International Day of Yoga by performing various asanas and breathing exercises with soldiers at 1 Corps in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande and General Officer Commanding, 1 Corps Lt Gen Sanjay Mitra, along with 600 people, including senior officers, Agniveers, families and children attended the event.
Speaking on the occasion, the Raksha Mantri termed the day as a matter of pride for the nation that the world is acknowledging and adopting this great cultural heritage of India with zeal. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking Yoga to the world. On this year’s Yoga Day theme i.e., ‘Yoga for Self and Society’, Rajnath Singh said ‘Yoga’ and ‘Dhyan’ are ancient Indian practices which connect a person with oneself, family & society. “Yoga & Dhyan are part of our culture, which has always been ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramaya’ i.e., we pray for everyone’s happiness and good health. We pray for the welfare of the world. This is the specialty of our civilization. We believe in collaboration rather than a clash of civilizations,” he said.
Highlighting the benefits of this centuries-old practice, the Raksha Mantri asserted that Yoga strengthens physical fitness, mental calmness & spiritual well-being. He added that it helps in harnessing the aggressive capabilities which is important for the soldiers for the security of the country. “Every Indian soldier is, in a way, a Yogi. The world has been witness to the physical and mental fitness of our soldiers many times. Not only on the borders, their service to the nation during national calamities is a testament to their strong physical and mental health. The way they avoid unnecessary aggression in adverse circumstances and stand up aggressively to protect the integrity and sovereignty of the country, whenever needed, reinforces their identity of a Yogi,” Rajnath Singh said. He exhorted the soldiers to continue practicing Yoga daily as it unites the body and mind while acting as a stepping stone to achieve spiritual consciousness.
