New York/Beijing: On the occasion of International Yoga Day, a large number of people from all over the world today practiced this ancient Indian discipline and participated enthusiastically in various programs. Doctor, author and health guru Deepak Chopra led a meditation session on the occasion of International Yoga Day at the United Nations Headquarters.
The event was organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations. Over 1,200 yoga practitioners, diplomats, UN officials, members of the diplomatic corps and the diaspora participated in it.
In his welcome address, India's Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the United Nations P. Harish said that the theme of Yoga Day this year is 'One Planet, One Health'. Earlier, the Consulate General of India in New York celebrated Yoga Day at Times Square in association with the Times Square Alliance, where actor Anupam Kher participated. The event was inaugurated by Vikram Doraiswamy, Indian High Commissioner to the UK in London, England.
Indian Ambassador to China in Beijing, Pradeep Kumar Rawat, along with other diplomats, attended a function at the old Indian embassy complex. The event was held at the ‘Supertree Lawn’ in Singapore. Similarly, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal, organised a yoga and meditation session on the banks of the beautiful Fewa Lake in Pokhara.
A yoga festival was celebrated at the famous Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple in Tokyo, Japan. The Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, organised a programme at the Batu Caves complex in association with the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre. Apart from this, International Yoga Day was also celebrated in Sri Lanka, Australia and other countries.