Shashi Tharoor Acknowledges PM Modi’s Role in Reviving Yoga

New Delhi: On the ninth International Yoga Day, the Congress expressed gratitude towards former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for his role in popularising yoga. Senior party leader Shashi Tharoor acknowledged Nehru’s contribution while also giving credit to the BJP-led Centre. The Congress tweeted a picture of Nehru practising yoga, highlighting his instrumental role in making it part of national policy.

Tharoor responded to the tweet, agreeing with the acknowledgement of Nehru’s efforts and emphasizing the need to recognize those who revived and popularized yoga, including the government. He stressed the importance of yoga as a crucial aspect of India’s soft power on the global stage and expressed satisfaction with its recognition.

Indeed! We should also acknowledge all those who revived & popularised yoga, including our government, @PMOIndia & @MEAIndia, for internationalising #InternationalYogaDay through the @UN. As I have argued for decades, yoga is a vital part of our soft power across the world &… https://t.co/WYZvcecl0Q

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 21, 2023

This year’s International Yoga Day theme is ‘Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, emphasizing the unity and interconnectedness of all. Notable figures participating in yoga events included President Droupadi Murmu, who performed yoga at Rashtrapati Bhavan, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who participated in a yoga session onboard INS Vikrant.

Prime Minister Modi, currently on a state visit to the US, led a unique yoga session on the lawns of the UN Headquarters in New York. The event garnered participation from top UN officials and envoys from various countries, further emphasizing the significance of yoga globally. In his video message, Prime Minister Modi highlighted India’s openness to new ideas and celebrated the nation’s diverse cultural heritage. He also expressed pride in the historic and unprecedented participation of over 180 countries in response to India’s call for International Yoga Day.