Message from the Honorable Consul General of India in New York, Randhir Jaiswal

MESSAGE

Yoga is an age-old practice. It is a unique gift from India to the world. On December 11, 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution, piloted by India and co-sponsored by 177 members, to mark International Day of Yoga worldwide. Since then, Yoga is being celebrated among people, communities, cultures and continents with greater enthusiasm and purpose. Every day, we have more and more people joining its fold. This, obviously, is very satisfying to Yoga lovers worldwide. Yet, many feel this is only a beginning. Challenges of modern life are such that the relevance and significance of Yoga will only increase in the times to come.

The Covid pandemic brought many changes to our living behavior. During these difficult times, millions around the world turned to Yoga to find inner peace and strength. As our Prime Minister, Shri Narenda Modi said, “The peace from Yoga is not only for individuals. Yoga brings peace to our society. Yoga brings peace to our nations and the world. And, Yoga brings peace for our universe.” In today’s challenging times, Yoga has immense potential to change people’s lives for the better. It can truly be a problem solver for all of us, be it our health, our environment or nurturing the planet. But we must do more. Our Prime Minister recently launched Mission Life — ‘Lifestyle for Environment’. It is a clarion call to the global community to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, one that is respectful of Mother Earth. Come, let’s join hands.

This year, we celebrated the International Day of Yoga with much fervor and fanfare at the iconic Times Square in New York, and with communities spread across the length and breadth of the United States. The celebration this year was also special for it formed part of our ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ — festival celebrating 75 years of India’s Independence. Marking the International Day of Yoga today has become a people’s movement. And in this endeavor the efforts of the International Day of Yoga Committee in the UN have been of immense value. The Committee and its members have enthusiastically promoted and popularized Yoga. We treasure the support received from the Committee and also extend our deepest appreciation for their dedication to Yoga, its philosophy and inner meaning.