Referring to the growing instances of non-communicable disease (NCDs), Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has stressed upon the need for converting national programmes like ‘Fit India’ and ‘Yoga Day’ into a people’s movement.
The Vice President was speaking at the five-day mega yoga camp conducted by Baba Ramdev of Patanjali Yogpeeth here on Sunday.
Mr. Naidu called upon the younger generation to shun a sedentary life style and develop the habit of performing exercise regularly.
The Vice President termed yoga as the cheapest medicine for one’s health and said it benefited people of all ages.
He pointed out that the economic burden of non-communicable diseases in terms of lost productivity and expenses for treatment, among others, in India is estimated to be around $6.2 trillion between 2021 and 2030.
“Yoga is India’s greatest legacy and its most glorious gift to the world”, he said. Emphasising the need for practising yoga regularly, Mr. Naidu appealed to the people not to limit the practice to just the ‘Yoga Day’.
“We need a transformation in the way we live, the way we think and the way we interact with our fellow human beings and Mother Nature. I believe that Yoga will be a powerful tool to bring about the desired transformation in people who practice it regularly,” he said.
Mr. Naidu also called upon the people particularly youths to focus on protection of nature and preservation of the ancient culture, which he said could lead to better future.
Earlier, Baba Ramdev demonstrated various yogasanas explaining the way they should be done and how they would benefit the body and the mind.
