U T Khader leads International Yoga Day celebrations in Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Jun 21: Urban Development and Housing Minister U T Khader inaugurated the international yoga day celebrations organised by the district administration and department of Ayush at Mangala indoor stadium in the city today. 

He performed yoga with Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Manggaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath and others.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Khader said that it was necessary to practise yoga for a healthy life. 

Reminding that yoga is a contribution of India to the world, the minister said that regular practice of yoga helps to achieve perfect balance between mind and body. 

Across Mangaluru

The Yoga Day was also celebrated across schools, colleges, industrial units and social organisations here on Thursday.

Among the few to hold the programme early in the day was the Ramakrishna Mutt where the event was conducted by yoga instructor Mohan Kumblekar. Mr. Kumblekar, who has been conducting yoga sessions at the mutt for several years now, started the session at 6.15 a.m. with warm-up exercises which were followed by several asanas. The session ended at 7.30 a.m. with meditation.

A session by personnel of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited was held at the MRPL Recreation Centre between 6.15 a.m. and 7.15 a.m. The session was conducted by a yoga teacher from Mangaluru University. A separate session was held for students for Delhi Public School, personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force and family members of MRPL employees. MRPL on Wednesday started a week-long yoga programme, according to a press release.

Among the several educational institutions that held yoga sessions on Thursday included the one organised by Nitte Deemed to be University’s NSS wing on the K.S. Hegde Hospital campus in Deralakatte. Following the yoga session, the university felicitated Iddya Karunasagar, Senior Director, International Relations of the University, who has been practising yoga for over four decades. The university also felicitated Nhehern Acharya, the third year Bachelor of Physiotherapy student from Nitte Institute of Physiotherapy, who has won gold medal for two years in a row in the Artistic Display Yoga Competition organised by the International Yoga Federation.

The NCC units of St. Aloysius College celebrated the day on the college premises. Zeena, Assistant Professor of the College’s Commerce Department, conducted the yoga session. Administration Officer of NCC Mangaluru Group, Lt. Colonel Amith and Principal of the College Praveen Martis participated in the programme.

Senior Yoga teacher Gopalakrishna Delampady conducted an hour-long yoga session at the Expert PU College in Kodailbail. Students from Excellent PU College too celebrated International Yoga Day.

Konkan Railway Corporation organised the celebrations at the Konkan Rail Vihar in Nerul, Navi Mumbai. Sanjay Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director of the corporation, participated in the programme. Similar celebrations were held at the regional offices of Konkan Railway in Karwar and Ratnagiri, a press release said.

Indian Coast Guard also celebrated the day. A Coast Guard release said that earlier it had organised the practice sessions on Yoga on June 10, June 17 and June 20 for officers and men in uniform to help acclimatise them to yogic postures. The participants had been introduced to Yogasanas, Kapalbhati, Pranayama, Dhyana, Sankalpa and Meditation as per the common protocol issued by the government.

S.S. Dasila, Commander, Coast Guard Karnataka, also performed yoga along with other Coast Guard personnel. Uma Prashanth, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mangaluru, was the guest.

All officers and men in uniform from all Coast Guard Air Enclave, 75 Air Cushion Vehicle Squadron, Indian Coast Guard Ships Savitri Bai Phule, Rajdoot, Amartya and Kasturba Gandhi at the disposal of No 3 Coast Guard District Karnataka at New Mangaluru participated in the event.

“Braving the rough and high seas, newly based state-of-the-art indigenously built ship, Vikram, showcased the importance of Yoga in facing the challenges posed by high seas so as to enhance a safe and secure coast for the people while on routine patrol off the coast of Karnataka and Lakshadweep and Minicoy group of Islands,” the release said.

Yenepoya University and Father Muller Education Institutions, also celebrated the day.