KATHUA: The 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025 was celebrated amid great fervour and enthusiastic public participation across the district of Kathua.

The main event was organised at the Sports Stadium by the District Administration in collaboration with the Department of AYUSH and other allied departments.

The venue witnessed a massive turnout of people from all walks of life who gathered in the wee hours, braving intermittent rain showers to take part in the yoga session.

The mega yoga session was presided over by Deputy Commissioner Dr. Rakesh Minhas, and attended by DDC Chairman Col (Retd.) Mahan Singh and MLA Kathua Dr Bharat Bhushan, besides Vice Chairman DDC Raghunandan Singh, DDC Marheen Karan Attri and DDC Nagri Sandeep Majotra.

In his address, Dr. Minhas highlighted the importance of adopting yoga as a daily practice to achieve physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. He appreciated the enthusiasm of participants who defied the weather to join the celebration.

The yoga session commenced at 6:00 AM with a structured demonstration of the Common Yoga Protocol led by expert instructors from the AYUSH Department. The instructors guided the crowd through a series of yoga asanas, pranayama and meditation techniques. The participants, comprising students, officials, police personnel and members of civil society, followed the session with energy and dedication.

At the culmination of the event, a collective Sankalp (pledge) was taken by all participants to integrate yoga into their daily lifestyle. As a token of appreciation, yoga instructors were felicitated by the dignitaries for their exemplary contribution to the success of the event.

Alongside the district-level celebration, International Day of Yoga was also observed with similar zeal in all sub-divisions of Basohli, Billawar, Hiranagar and Bani.

At Basohli, local MLA Darshan Singh, ADC Pankaj Bhagotra and a large number of locals, students and officials participated in the yoga session, reflecting a growing public awareness towards health and wellness. The event in Billawar also witnessed a spirited turnout, with participants performing yoga postures in unison, underlining the collective commitment to fitness and inner balance.

The event witnessed participation of MLA Billawar Satish Sharma, DDC Billawar Bikram Singh, officers from Administration and a large number of people.

At Hiranagar, the main event was held at KV Hiranagar where SDM Phulail Singh and a large number of people participated in the spirited Yoga session.

In the serene and hilly sub-division of Bani, the event attracted significant local participation. Amid the cool morning breeze, the community led by MLA Bani Dr Rameshwar Singh, SDM Bani Sandeep Kumar came together to perform yoga, making the celebration both peaceful and vibrant.

NO: PR/DDI/J/1313/