Defence forces showcase unity of India on Yoga Day

Army forms 'Bharatmala' from Siachen to Kanyakumari to mark event

Thousands of Indian sailors on Wednesday performed yoga onboard strategically-placed warships, forming an "ocean ring" in the Indian Ocean as the nation celebrated the International Day of Yoga across the country and outside.

The Indian naval ships Kiltan, Chennai, Shivalik, Sunayna, Trishul, Tarkash, Vagir, Sumitra and Brahmaputra were docked respectively at Chattogram, Safaga, Jakarta, Mombasa, Toamasina, Muscat, Colombo, Phuket, and Dubai ports forming the rings.

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The Indian Army formed a human garland around the country titled 'Bharatmala' by conducting yoga all along the border, ranging from the eastern extremity of Dong, where the first rays of the Sun fall in India, to the sand dunes of Longewala in Rajasthan, where an epic battle was fought.

Army troops and personnel from other uniformed forces performed yoga all over the country - from the glacial heights of Siachen to the southern tip of Kanyakumari and in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh performed yoga on-board the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant while Health Minister Manush Mandaviya was at AIIMS Delhi.

"Yoga helps calm the mind and energise the body. Whenever we talk about health and wellness, Yoga comes to our mind. It is a kind of preventive care as it builds immunity in the body," Mandaviya said.

The World Health Organisation concurs. "Numerous randomised controlled studies have shown the efficacy of Yogic practices in the management of non-communicable diseases like hypertension, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, diabetes, sleep disorders, depression, and obesity," said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South East Asia.

"It is well known that Yoga Asanas (physical postures), Pranayama (breathing practices) and Dhyana (meditation) help modify and regulate the responses to stressors and are beneficial in stress and its consequences," she noted.

The UN health body says that since meditation helps combat stress and related disorders, it helps reduce inflammatory responses.

Meditation decreases sympathetic overstimulation and reduces cholesterol levels. It helps increase exercise tolerance, reduce anxiety and enhance maximal workload in an individual.

Yoga will feature prominently in a forthcoming G20 meeting that India and the WHO will be organising in August. The summit will focus on evidence-based traditional medicine, including yoga, for the health and well-being of people.