International Yoga Day is celebrated annually on June 21st to rhapsodize the benefits of yoga in an individual's life. It is a day that perfectly coincides with the summer solstice and a day to encourage people across the world to factor in yoga for its invariable perks. This year will mark the 7th anniversary of International Yoga Day. The idea was conceptualised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN General Assembly.

During his speech at the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi put forth his suggestion for dedicating a ‘Yoga Day. The resolution proposed by India was subsequently endorsed by a record 177 member states and The UN declared June 21 as International Day of Yoga by passing a resolution on December 11, 2014, during the 69th session of the General Assembly. The first International Day of Yoga was observed around the world on June 21, 2015.

PM Modi, during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, said, "Yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help in well being. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day."

Yoga is an ancient spiritual practice that aligns a person's body with their consciousness. The word ‘yoga’ is derived from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite. Since the world is in the midst of a pandemic this year International Yoga Day will prompt people to practice yoga with their family with a theme - Yoga at home and Yoga with Family.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 01, 2021 03:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).