Yoga Day to be celebrated on digital media platforms this year

New Delhi, June 5 (PTI): In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, this year's International Yoga Day would be celebrated on digital media platforms and there would be no mass gatherings, the government said on Friday.

This year's theme will be 'Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family'. People will be able to join Yoga Day celebrations virtually at 7 am on June 21.

Indian Missions abroad are trying to reach out to the people through digital media as well through the network of institutions which support yoga, officials said.

The AYUSH ministry had earlier planned to hold a grand event at Leh which, however, had to be cancelled because of the pandemic.

Besides, through the 'My Life My Yoga' video blogging competition which was launched by the prime minister on May 31, the Ministry of AYUSH and ICCR seeks to raise awareness about yoga and to inspire people to prepare for and become active participants in the observation of IDY 2020.

The contest will run in two legs--- the first one consisting of an international video blogging contest, wherein the winners will be picked within a country. This will be followed by global prize winners who will be selected from different countries.

To enter into the contest participants are required to upload a three-minute video of 3 yogic practices (kriya, asana, pranayama, bandha or mudra), including a short video message/description on how the said yogic practices influenced their life.

They can do it in any language, Ayush Secretary, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, said.

Entries can be submitted by participants under three categories-- youth (male and female aged under 18), adults (male and female above 18 years) and yoga professionals, Kotecha said.

This makes it a total of six categories in all. For India contestants, prizes worth Rs 1 lakh, 50K and 25K will be given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions within each of the categories.

Abroad Indian Missions will give away prizes in each country. At the global level, cash prizes worth USD 2,500, USD 1,500 and USD 1,000 along with trophy and certificate will be given to those ranking first, second and third .

The video blogging competition will provide us a huge amount of testimonial which will help us in spreading the word about yoga and its overall benefits not just health-wise but also towards the approach to human life as well, Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddh, President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, said.

"It will also bring to the fore the multiple facets of yoga. Yoga is not just a physical activity, it also has to do with physical and emotional health and people will share the benefits they have experienced," he said.