The Ninth International Yoga Day was celebrated by the Indian Army with fervor. The Army formed a ‘Bharatmala’ by conducting Yoga all along the border areas of the nation, 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 the epic battle was fought in 1971; from the glacial heights of Siachen to the southern tip of Kanyakumari and in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The troops, families including children and defense civilians actively participated in the event. The local populace at all locations was also actively co-opted in the Yoga activities.
General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Army Staff was the Chief Guest at the mass Yoga event organized at Cariappa Parade Ground, Delhi Cantt, New Delhi. The Army Chief’s participation encouraged everyone to make Yoga a daily habit. Continuing with the enhanced Indo-Africa partnership, outreach was also organized in African nations through Indian Army contingents deployed in United Nations (UN) Mission areas and in other Training Teams abroad.
Profoundly imbued in the Indian culture and ethos for ages, Yoga has found worldwide acceptance in its varied Avatars. The emancipating and healing effects of Yoga have been acknowledged by the scientific community as well. The Indian Army has always been at the forefront in making Yoga protocols part of its daily schedule of activities, irrespective of the location of deployment of troops. As part of the national effort, the Indian Army has been regularly engaging the local populace, particularly in the remote border areas to spread awareness as also to conduct workshops for the proliferation of Yoga.
