1000+ Staff Members of LPU selected for International Yoga Day Celebrations with PM Modi in Chandigarh

Jalandhar, June 15, 2016: More than one thousand faculty & staff members of Lovely Professional University have been selected for International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations. This is the largest contingent from Punjab for this second edition of IDY. Selected staff members are nowadays gearing up with practice at the campus for Yoga exercises to be performed with PM Narender Modi in Chandigarh on 21st June 2016. Staff members will thus join mega global yoga movement simultaneously with millions other in the world.

This year, the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India has decided to take forward the momentum created by IDY 2015 with greater and more active participation. The ministry is organizing “National Event of Mass Yoga Demonstration" at Chandigarh, which will be specially attended by the Indian Prime Minister. Last year (2015), first edition of IDY was celebrated in New Delhi at Rajpath. Over 50 million people had actively participated simultaneously in the first IDY. From Paris to New York, or from one corner of Globe to another, Yoga Day brought people from all walks of life together and united them, thus living up to the literal meaning of name “Yoga”.

LPU Chancellor Mr Ashok Mittal shares: “I am equally thankful to the State and Central Government agencies for having faith in LPU working and trust on LPU staff members. It is an honour and a responsibility for all of us at LPU as it is a call from high office of the country. This massive participation is certain to spread the joy and benefits of yoga, meditation and breathing techniques across the globe. We all know well that Yoga techniques help in growing an individual’s potential and increase a sense of belongingness among people & communities by creating a one world family. I congratulate PM Modi for his untiring efforts to unite the world in a single whole through this great practice of ancient India.”

Yoga Day is celebrated annually on June 21 and this day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on December 11, 2014 to be internationally recognized. Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice/discipline that originated in India. In his UN Address, PM Modi had suggested June 21 as IDY, as it is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and also has special significance in many parts of the world.

PM Modi is of the view: "Yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition. This tradition is 5000 years old. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with oneself, the world and the nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with climate change. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day."