Yoga day: Armed Forces limber up, Amit Shah to get yoga lessons from two Muslim girls

“From Kashmir to Kanyakumari,” a senior Army official said when asked if the force was planning events for Yoga Day.

He said that nearly 500 troops at the Siachen base camp – about 12,000 ft above sea level – will carry out yoga to mark the day. The Navy too has plans for Yoga Day and aims to do “Yoga across the oceans”. 

“Yoga sessions would be carried out on all our ships and installations. It is an International day. Like we observe World Environment Day, we will also celebrate the International Yoga Day,” an official said.

Indian Navy units located as far as in the Mediterranean Sea in the West, the Western Pacific Ocean and the Southern Indian Ocean will also participate in the event. India will lead 191 nations to mark the IYD on June 21, highlighted by a mega event here on Rajpath where armed forces, NCC cadets and government officials are scheduled to perform ‘asanas’. Around 35,000 people are expected to take part in the event.

The UN General <g data-gr-id="50">Assembly,</g> had in December last year, adopted an India-led resolution, supported by over 175 UN member states, declaring June 21 as ‘International Day of Yoga’. “Yoga provides a holistic approach to health and well-being”.

The day will be observed in over 251 cities around 191 countries across the world and the Indian 

missions and diplomats have made arrangements for the celebrations.

Meanwhile, in a related development, two Muslim girls will impart yoga lessons to BJP president Amit Shah at the Moinul Haq Stadium grounds in Patna on June 21. “Rukhsana Khatoon and Bismillah Khatoon will teach yoga to Shah, other prominent persons including Union Ministers and those who will come to attend the camp on the occasion,” Bihar-Jharkhand Patanjali Yogpeeth in-charge, Ajit Kumar said.

The two teenaged girls hailing from Lal <g data-gr-id="45">Saraiyan</g> village in Majhauliya block of West Champaran district of Bihar have been chosen to demonstrate ‘yogasanas’ and ‘pranayam’ as they are adept in them, he said.

Apart from Shah, several Union Ministers from Bihar – Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Drinking Water, Sanitation Minister Ram Kripal Yadav and MSME Minister Giriraj Singh - are expected to attend the yoga camp.