International Yoga Day celebrated in West Bengal, Union Ministers take part

KOLKATA: The International Yoga Day was celebrated in West Bengal with Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan and Ravi Shankar Prasad taking part in yoga sessions.

Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prasad kicked off the celebrations at the Sports Authority Of India (SAI) complex in Kolkata.

"Yoga is not a symbol of any particular faith, it is not a symbol of any particular path. It is a symbol of mankind, peace and brotherhood. It is a symbol of the culture, heritage of our country. Yoga is for moral values and for the well being of the mankind regardless of its community, faith or nationality," Prasad said while kicking off the celebrations in Kolkata at 6.30 in the morning.

Meanwhile, Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan participated at a yoga camp along with BJP Bengal unit Vice-President Subhas Sarkar In Kharagpur.

Union Minister of state for Urban Development Babul Supriyo too is scheduled to participate in International Yoga Day celebrations at a Yoga Camp in Burnpur.

In the SAI complex, hundreds of people cutting across age groups took part in the Yoga session.

Prasad also took part in the exercises and pranayams. "My real love with yoga started when I was a student and was in jail as I was detained under MISA for participating in JP movement way back in mid 70s," a relaxed looking Prasad told reporters later.

The Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government too organised various programmes to mark the International Yoga day in the state.

Thousands of NCC cadets - boys and girls - took part in Yogic exercise in sprawling Maidan area in the morning.

A massive Yoga Day celebrations is being organised at Netaji Indoor Stadium which will be kicked off in the afternoon.

State Youth Affairs minister Aroop Biswas will be participating at various Yoga programs in the city to mark the International Yoga Day.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) too organised Yoga sessions for Indian industry where a large number of representatives of Indian industry, including CEOs and senior executives practised the ancient Indian exercise.

India is set to lead 191 countries to mark the day with over 35,000 participants expected to perform various yoga 'asanas' at a mega event on Rajpath here.

Diplomats from 152 foreign missions have been invited to take part in the event.