Appeals for daily practice to instil discipline
Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday stressed the need to practise yoga daily to inculcate discipline and build focus, confidence and emotional resilience.
Addressing a gathering at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Santa Cruz on the occasion of the 12th International Day of Yoga, held under the theme ‘Yoga for Healthy Aging,’ Sawant described yoga as a holistic wellness lifestyle that supports holistic tourism.
He said that if yoga can be integrated into every home, school and workplace, every Goan will remain fit.
The Chief Minister congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 12 transformative years of elevating yoga to the international stage and turning India’s timeless cultural gift into a global phenomenon celebrated in 177 countries.
He said that yoga is not merely exercise but a way of life, promoting the harmony of mind, body and spirit while empowering every section of the society with health, balance and inner strength.
Sawant said that the state is actively promoting yoga in schools and colleges, as well as at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) through the AYUSH department.
The event was organised by Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, State AYUSH Society Goa and the Ministry of AYUSH. Other dignitaries present included Union Minister of State for Power and New and Renewable Energy Shripad Naik, Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Ramesh Tawadkar, Chief Secretary Dr V Candavelou and Director of Sports and Youth Affairs and Executive Director of the Sports Authority of Goa Ajay Gaude.
During the event, Gaude said that the department organised yoga programmes at 12 locations across the 12 talukas, alongside events at more than 160 locations through various associations across the state.
Tawadkar and Naik highlighted the importance of practising yoga and urged people to make it a daily habit. Tawadkar said that over two lakh people participated in the event across the state.
In a statement issued, the government said that the registrations for the International Day of Yoga celebrations in the state crossed the one-lakh mark.
Programmes were organised at numerous locations by various organisations and departments, with the Patanjali Yog Samiti, NGOs and other organisations registering a total of 1,230 venues. In addition, more than 80 programmes were organised at the party and constituency level. Several other yoga sessions and events were also conducted across Goa under the aegis of the Department of Ayush, the statement said.
