Delhi: Differently-abled students dazzle with Yoga skills

Dispelling the notion that being physically sound is a prerequisite for performing yoga, a group of differently-abled students sent a strong message on International Yoga Day today and impressed everyone by performing asanas and yogic exercises.

In an event marking the Yoga Day, the students who were on wheelchairs and crutches, performed various asanas with proficiency.

With the globe observing International Yoga Day and India leading from the front, various states across the country have organised events, with people turning up in large numbers to participate.

President Pranab Mukherjee addressed a mass yoga demonstration, involving over a 1000 persons, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today.

Meanwhile, Union Ministers from the Centre were also seen participating with gusto to mark the event, as they joined the Yoga Day celebrations in different states.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi joined the celebration in Meerut and Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu participated in Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Yoga Day celebrations in Chandigarh where he spoke about the benefits of the ancient form, while lauding the nation for showing enthusiasm towards the event.

In the run up to the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative postal stamp on Surya Namaskara in the national capital yesterday.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development took up the initiative of 'Yoga Olympiad', which saw participation of school children from across 21 states.

Over 173 Indian missions across the world are also organizing Yoga Day celebrations to spread awareness about the ancient Indian exercise. Besides, the main event on the Yoga Day, several Indian missions have organized a series of curtain raiser events in various parts of the world to spread Yoga awareness.

Meanwhile, the United Nations headquarters in New York was lit up ahead of International Yoga Day.

The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on December 11 in 2014 after a call from the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi during his address to UN General Assembly on September 27.