International Yoga Day 2021: 10 things that you should know about the day

On December 11, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as ‘International Day of Yoga’, months after PM Modi had proposed the idea.

India, along with the world, is celebrating International Yoga Day on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the lead the way by addressing the main event on the occasion.

In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the event this year will be a televised programme and is scheduled to start at 6.30 am. This will be the seventh edition of the International Yoga Day.

In a statement on Sunday, the Ministry of Ayush, nodal ministry for International Yoga Day, highlighted the role of Yoga in one's overall well-being, through various activities organised in the run-up to the annual event.

The main event will also include an address by the minister of state for Ayush, Kiren Rijiju.

The International Yoga Day observation will consist of individuals participating in large numbers in the harmonious demonstration/performance of yoga at 7am, after the Prime Minister's address.

Here are 10 things to know about the International Yoga Day:

1. For the second consecutive year, the International Yoga Day is being celebrated digitally due to the coronairus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. The theme this year is 'Yoga for wellness'.
2. According to United Nations, this year's theme is relevant "for our times in a society still recovering from the impact of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic". It also said that yoga can help people deal with crises such as depression and anxiety by boosting both physical and mental health.
3. The live yoga demonstration on Monday will be followed by messages from 15 spiritual leaders and yoga gurus namely: Gurudev Sri Sri Ravishankar, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Dr HR Nagendra, Kamlesh Patel, Dr Veerendra Hegde, Dr Hamsaji Jayadeva, OP Tiwari, Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Dr Chinmay Pandey, Muni Shri Sagar Maharaj, Swami Bharat Bhushan, Dr Vishwas Mandalik, Sister BK Shivani, S Sridharan and Antoinette Rozi.
4. The ministry of culture will organise a special drive named 'Yoga An Indian Heritage' at 75 cultural heritage locations on Monday. In an official statement, the Ministry informed that the drive is a part of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' campaign, and will witness active participation of all the bodies of the ministry.
5. The Ayush ministry has identified 25 Fit India Yoga Centres ahead of the International Yoga Day. Union minister Kiren Rijiju will on Monday present Fit India certificates to thee institutes located across the country.
6. The missions of India abroad have been coordinating activities in the run-up to International Yoga Day. According to the Ayush ministry, the day will be observed in about 190 countries.
7. India Post will issue a special cancellation stamp on all mail booked on June 21 to capture the essence of International Yoga Day. The special pictorial cancellation stamp will be an inked marking or impression with a graphical design with International Day of Yoga 2021 written in both Hindi and English.
8. Haryana and Madhya Pradesh are organising mega vaccination drive on International Yoga Day. According to Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the state government aims to inoculate more than one million people in a single day today. Haryana health minister Anil Vij, meanwhile, said that a target has been set to vaccinate 2,50,000 people during this inoculation drive.
9. On December 11, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly had declared June 21 as ‘International Day of Yoga’, months after PM Modi had proposed the idea.
10. The observation of International Yoga Day is a global activity and the preparatory activities normally start 3-4 months prior to June 21. Millions of people are introduced to Yoga in the spirit of a mass movement as part of International Yoga Day observation every year.