Chandigarh to host Yoga Day event this year: Naik

New Delhi, Apr 20: The International Yoga Day event this year will be held in Chandigarh on June 21 as the government plans to make it bigger than the maiden show on Rajpath last year, Ayush Minister Shripad Yesso Naik said today.

"We have decided to celebrate it in a big way. We cannot accommodate more people on Rajpath. We have chosen Chandigarh and all other states will celebrate in their own regions," the minister said.

He was speaking at the inauguration of a three-day International Yoga Festival in the run up to the second International Yoga Day (IYD).

States like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan were approached by the Ayush Ministry for organising the event.

"Chandigarh was the first one to respond. IYD will be held in different states every year," a senior Ministry official said.

The first IYD was celebrated in 191 countries and the ministry is expecting participation of more countries this year. In Delhi, the event was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "It is too early to say. This time, it will be obviously more countries.

We are still working out the details," the official said. International Yoga Festival has been organised to portray different activities being planned and to be conducted by different yoga organisations, ministries, government departments and other organisations.

"It is an effort to give a new dimension to the celebration of 2nd International Day of Yoga to be celebrated on 21 June.

I am sure it will boost yoga professionals to celebrate the International Day in a more meaningful way," the minister said.

PTI