PM Modi leads yoga celebrations from Srinagar

Srinagar, June 21

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading yoga celebration in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, the event was considered a major boost for the tourism economy of the region, adding a new yoga economy to the tourism sector of Kashmir.

“Yoga celebrations across the world were led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Srinagar. The world is talking about India’s centuries-old cultural heritage, and, simultaneously, the world is also talking about Jammu and Kashmir. Following last year’s G-20 event in Kashmir, this is the second biggest event in the state,” said Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha while inaugurating the J&K Trade Show-2024 at the Kashmir Heritage Government Arts Emporium on Friday afternoon. Sinha said the PM’s leadership in programmes like the International Day of Yoga and ‘Empowering Youth, Transforming J&K’ had given new momentum to Jammu and Kashmir’s growth journey.

The event had successfully brought global attention to the state. “Last year, 8 million tourists visited Kashmir from January to May. This year, 8.6 million tourists have visited Jammu and Kashmir,” he added. Earlier, on Friday morning, while leading International Yoga Day programmes, the Prime Minister touched upon the changing notions about yoga due to its expansion in the last 10 years.

While discussing the emerging yoga economy, he said the increasing interest in yoga tourism and people’s desire to visit India for authentic yoga experiences had opened new avenues for growth. He also talked about yoga retreats, resorts, dedicated facilities for yoga at airports and hotels, yoga apparel and equipment, personal yoga trainers and companies carrying out yoga, mindfulness and wellness initiatives.

All these were creating new avenues of employment for the youth, he added. The PM lauded the enthusiasm of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially Srinagar, towards yoga and said this provided a platform to boost the tourism of the UT.