Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 12th International Yoga Day celebrations at Kolkata's Red Road on Sunday morning, taking part in a mega event as thousands joined open-air yoga sessions across the state for the first time.
'Yoga is not just for a better personal life but for the world's future,' Modi said in his inaugural address.
The celebrations started at 6:30 am when the Prime Minister reached the venue from Lok Bhawan (formerly Raj Bhawan), where he spent the night. He was accompanied by Governor R N Ravi, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Ayush Prataprao Yadav and other senior dignitaries.
Modi emphasized that age does not reduce human potential and that yoga can help human life aspire for growth, saying 'Our target must be to be more energetic at 50 than we were at 30. We must be more resistant to lifestyle diseases at 70 than we were at 50. This is where Yoga can help us.'
He also highlighted the importance of yoga in maintaining physical and mental health, saying 'Yoga teaches us the do's and don'ts. When we learn how to drive our body, health becomes a habit.'
Over 10 million people across Bengal participated in the celebration, making it the first time International Yoga Day has been celebrated on such a large scale in the state.
