International Yoga Day 2022: 'Yoga is India's gift to humanity', says President Kovind

International Yoga Day 2022 live updates: On the occasion of International Yoga Day 2022, President Ram Nath Kovind today (June 21) performed yoga at the Rashtrapati Bhawan and said that it is India`s gift to humanity. "Yoga is a part of our ancient Indian heritage. India`s gift to humanity, yoga is a holistic approach to health and well-being, balancing our mind, body and soul," he said.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the celebrations from Mysuru in Karnataka. He extended his greetings on the 8th International Yoga Day and said that Yoga is being practiced in all parts of the world. "Yoga brings peace to our society, it brings peace to our nations and the world, and Yoga brings peace to our universe," PM Modi said.

More than 15,000 people are said to be participating in the Yoga celebrations along with the Prime Minister at the Mysore Palace grounds.

This year, the theme for the celebration is "Yoga for humanity". The theme portrays, how during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, yoga served humanity in alleviating the suffering and in the emerging post-Covid geo-political scenario too, it will bring people together through compassion, kindness, foster a sense of unity and build resilience among people world over.

It was during his speech at the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014, that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had first floated the idea of the International Yoga Day. The draft resolution passed by India was supported by 177 nations.

With universal recognition and growing popularity of Yoga, the United Nations had declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on December 11, 2014. The first International Yoga Day was then celebrated on June 21, 2015.