Hyderabad: Minister Damodara Raja Narasimha on Saturday said yoga is a unique gift from India to the world, calling it a holistic discipline rooted in the Ashtanga system introduced by sage Patanjali.
Speaking at the International Yoga Day celebrations held at Gachibowli stadium, he said yoga was not limited to physical exercise but served to align body, mind, and spirit. The event saw participation from over 5,000 students and officials, including Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, ministers Sridhar Babu and Vakiti Srihari, Sports Authority chairman Sivasena Reddy, and Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao.
Raja Narasimha said yoga offers a way to address growing health concerns such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and kidney ailments, which are on the rise due to today’s hectic lifestyles. He noted that even wealthy individuals are unable to find peace, while yoga offers a path to physical and mental stability. He urged people to integrate yoga into their daily lives.
He said commitment and proper instruction were the only requirements to begin yoga practice. Regular yoga, he added, improves focus, strength, and mental calm.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the state is taking steps to make yoga more accessible. He said 630 yoga instructors have already been appointed and recruitment is underway for 264 more. Morning yoga classes are being conducted at health sub-centres.
According to the minister, five lakh individuals have been trained in yoga in the past year, and efforts are on to expand yoga education in all academic institutions. A postgraduate course in naturopathy and yogic sciences is also being introduced. He said the government would continue to bring yoga closer to the public through future initiatives.
గచ్చిబౌళి స్టేడియంలో అంతర్జాతీయ యోగా దినోత్సవ వేడుకలను ఆయుష, ఆరోగ్యశాఖలు ఘనంగా నిర్వహించాయి.
ఈ కార్యక్రమంలో గవర్నర్ జిష్ణుదేవ్ వర్మ, ఆరోగ్యశాఖ మంత్రి దామోదర రాజనర్సింహ, స్పోర్ట్స్ మినిస్టర్ వాకిటి శ్రీహరి, స్పోర్ట్స్ అథారిటీ చైర్మన్ శివసేన రెడ్డి, సీఎస్ రామకృష్ణారావు ఇతర… pic.twitter.com/NtdcrJ08F2
— Damodar Raja Narasimha (@DamodarCilarapu) June 21, 2025
