This is why Modi decided to lead nation from Ranchi on International Yoga Day

Ranchi, Jun 21: Kick-starting the global celebrations marking International Yoga Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation by performed Yoga with around 40,000 enthusiasts at the Prabhat Tara ground here and said everybody should practice the ancient Indian discipline lifelong.

The Jharkhand capital has been selected as the venue for the main event for the 5th International Day of Yoga.

Why did Modi choose Ranchi to lead the nation?

Firstly, Jharkhand (which literally means forest region or bushland) is very near to nature. Secondly, last year, on 23 September, Ayushman mission was started from Ranchi. Last but not the least PM Modi wants tribal communities to learn Yoga too.

Since its inception in 2015, International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on 21 June. An international day for yoga was declared unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Events to mark the day are being held across the country and several of them are being led by Union ministers, including Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh.

Modi also said the government has been working to make Yoga a pillar of preventive healthcare.

Expressing concern that young people are becoming vulnerable to heart ailments, Modi said, "Yoga can play a huge role in tackling the issue and hence, this year's theme is 'Yoga for Heart'." He also appealed to the people to take yoga to all sections of society. "We should make efforts to take yoga from cities to villages, tribal areas. Yoga is above region, above faith, above everything," Modi told the gathering.

He also stressed that for yoga to become popular, infrastructure for it must be strengthened and said the government was working towards it. Urging people to make yoga a part of daily life, Modi said, "Peace and harmony are related to Yoga. People across the world must practice it."

The prime minister had arrived here Thursday night to participate in the main event on the International Yoga Day. Since 2015, the International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on June 21.