Day of asanas, meditation, well-being

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 21

International Yoga Day was celebrated with enthusiasm in the city where various events were held by different organisations.

At the Company Bagh, a yoga camp saw the presence of Union Minister and state BJP chief Vijay Sampla, Mayor Sunil Jyoti, former MLA and veteran BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia and district party president Ramesh Sharma. The camp was held by experts of the International Education and Welfare Society, Rishikesh.

A poster-making competition was held at APS College, Malsian, to mark the day on the theme of yoga, ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ and ‘Swach Bharat Mission’, by the district administration, in collaboration with the Directorate of Field Publicity (DFP), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, GoI.

Underlining the need for women empowerment in the country, the SDM, Shahkot, Navneet Kaur Bal, said it was the need of the hour to making India a front-runner country across the globe. Addressing the gathering at the college, after flagging off a rally to make people aware of `Beti Bachao Beti Padhao` campaign spearheaded by the Indian Government, Bal emphasised that only women empowerment could pave the way for a balanced social growth in the country.

Bal added that the Punjab Government was making efforts to promote women education in the state to make the state a front-runner in the country in the field of women education. Prominent among others present on the occasion included DFP Deputy Director Pritam Singh, tehsildar Tarsem Singh and other officers of the civil and the police administration.

A mega yoga camp was also organised to commemorate the 3rd International Yoga Day for all ranks stationed at Jalandhar Garrison under the Vajra Corps. Yoga asanas (postures) and pranayam were practised in symphony as per the Common Yoga Protocol laid down by the Ministry of AYUSH.

As many as 2,094 Army personnel participated in the event with fervour. The objective of the yoga session, organised by the Vajra Corps was to provide an insight into the traditional basis of yoga and its relevance in the present day context of high stress and demanding military service. The participants comprised officers, JCOs and jawans from the Jalandhar Cantonment. Yoga emphasises flexibility, enhancing the mental agility, physical stamina and steadfastness of soldiers. Yoga, therefore, fits perfectly with the military’s emphasis on mental robustness and physical agility, to hone the overall personality of Army soldiers. Yoga day was also celebrated by the Army College of Nursing, Jalandhar Cantt (ACN). All students, faculty and staff enthusiastically participated in yoga activities. Dr Baljit Kaur, principal, and Col Daljit Kumar (retd), Registrar, Army College of Nursing, Jalandhar Cantt, unveiled the theme of the International Yoga Day 2017.

The district Education Department also observed the day under the guidance of DEO (S) Sunita Sahota Randhawa at Nehru Garden Girls Senior Secondary School in Jalandhar. Students, teachers and many parents also participated in the camp. Meanwhile, district guidance councillor Surjit Lal held separate yoga camps at Government Senior Secondary School Bhogpur, Laroa, as well as ITI, Bhogpur. As per the instructions of the Education Department, the yoga day was also celebrated across many schools in the city where students gathered since early in the morning to observe the day.

Thereafter, Dr Baljit Kaur, principal, Army College of Nursing, Jalandhar Cantt, administered the pledge to students to make yoga an integral part of their daily life. At the end, Jaspreet Kaur, assistant professor highlighted the importance of yoga and the need of making it a part and parcel of the daily routine.

Meanwhile, the yoga day celebrations were also held at the Dada Colony today by the Yuva Rashtra Nirman Vahini and the RSS where Yoga Guru Kanta Rani taught various yoga asanas to participants and emphasised on the importance of yoga for a free and healthy mind.

An eight-day Yog Shivir was also organised at the Adarsh Nagar Park in Jalandhar where yoga was conducted by the Bharat Vikas Parishad. As many as 400 persons participated on the last day of the shivir today. District president of the parishad Mukesh Aggarwal and yoga instructor Vinod organised the camp.

The day was also celebrated by district-based chartered accountants and employees of the Enforcement Directorate at separate yog shivirs.