Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s Sanatan culture, bestowed upon humanity by the country’s sages for the welfare of the entire world. The journey of yoga, which began thousands of years ago, has today assumed a global dimension. Yoga is not merely a physical practice, it is a complete way of life that connects the body, mind, soul and society, he said.
The Chief Minister was addressing a yoga practice programme organised on the occasion of International Yoga Day at the Main Dham of Baba Bhuman Shah located at village Baba Bhuman Shah (Sangar Sarista) in Sirsa district on Friday. During the programme, he presented shawls to Guru Maharaj Baba Brahm Dass Ji and Mahant Mahesh Muni Maharaj of Kurukshetra.
He said that he experienced immense peace and positive energy while visiting Dera Baba Bhuman Shah Ashram, a centre of spiritual consciousness situated on this sacred land.
In his address, the Chief Minister said that the entire world will celebrate International Yoga Day on June 21. In this connection, yoga practice programmes are being organised across different districts of Haryana. He said that yoga has attained an international stature due to the efforts of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. As a result of his tireless efforts, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as International Yoga Day in 2014. At that time, 177 countries supported the proposal, and today almost every nation in the world has embraced yoga.
The Chief Minister said that from New York’s Times Square and Paris’s Eiffel Tower to Tokyo and Toronto, India’s spiritual heritage is receiving global recognition through yoga. This is India’s strength, established not through the power of the sword but through the strength of penance, culture and spiritual values, he said.
He further said that under the leadership of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Yogasana has been accorded the status of a sport and included in the Khelo India Youth Games. The Prime Minister’s messages like ‘Khelega Bharat to Khilega Bharatand ‘Yoga Ki Dose, Aadha Ghanta Roz’ have become a source of inspiration for people across the country.
India’s Global Prestige Has Grown Through Development and Yoga Over the Past 12 Years
The Chief Minister said that it is a happy coincidence that this year’s International Yoga Day is being observed at a time when the Union Government under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi is completing 12 years in office. During these years, India has reached new heights in infrastructure development, technology and the economy, while also showing the world the path of mental peace and better health through yoga.
He said that the journey of these 12 years of development and the global spread of yoga reflects the growing strength and global leadership of New India.
Teachings of Baba Bhuman Shah Continue to Guide Society
Describing Baba Bhuman Shah Maharaj as a great social reformer and saint devoted to public welfare, the Chief Minister said that he gave the message of providing food to the hungry, direction to the lost and dignity to those standing at the last rung of society. Baba Ji made humanity, love, moral conduct, service and righteous behaviour the foundation of life.
He said that Baba Bhuman Shah’s teachings consistently conveyed a message of awareness against substance abuse. Human life, he said, is a priceless gift from God and should not be wasted on social evils such as addiction.
The Chief Minister said that Dera Baba Bhuman Shah is a living symbol of the faith, spirit of service and cultural heritage of the Kamboj community. The history of the Kamboj community, he said, is filled with bravery, patriotism, perseverance and hard work. Even today, lakhs of devotees in India and abroad continue to walk on the path of truth and service shown by Baba Bhuman Shah, said Nayab Singh Saini.
He further said that Gaddi nashin Guru Maharaj Baba Brahm Dass Ji has made a significant contribution to carrying forward this spiritual legacy. Under his guidance, the Dham is setting new benchmarks in the fields of education, healthcare, spirituality and service to humanity.
Describing the event as a beautiful confluence of spirituality and yoga, the Chief Minister said that yoga means union, the union of the individual soul with the Supreme Being, the balance of the body and mind, and the connection of the individual with society. The message of simplicity and devotion given by Baba Bhuman Shah is also a form of inner yoga.
He said that yoga is not confined to asanas and pranayama; rather, it is an art of living that fills life with positive energy. Referring to the ancient dictum, ‘Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam,’ he said it means excellence and skill in one’s actions.
Chief Minister Calls Upon Youth to Lead the Campaign Against Drug Abuse
Nayab Singh Saini urged people to take a pledge that they will neither consume intoxicants nor allow others to do so. He also appealed to society to make efforts to bring back young people who have fallen into the grip of addiction.
He said that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s resolve of making India a developed nation by 2047 can be realised only when the country’s citizens are healthy, aware and free from substance abuse. The Haryana Government is continuously working on the theme of ‘Yoga-Yukt, Nasha-Mukt Haryana’.
Haryana Undertaking Extensive Measures to Promote Yoga
The Chief Minister said that the State Government is working on a large scale to make Haryana healthy, prosperous and yoga-oriented. Haryana is the first state in the country to establish the Haryana Yoga Commission for the promotion of yoga, he said.
The Chief Minister said that Yoga education has been introduced as a compulsory subject from Classes I to X. Yoga training is being imparted in schools, colleges and universities, and yoga clubs have been established. To promote yoga and Ayurveda, Shri Krishna AYUSH University has been established in Kurukshetra.
Vyamshalas in 6,500 Villages and Expansion of AYUSH Services
The Chief Minister said that the State Government is committed to establishing vyamshalas in 6,500 villages, out of which 883 have already been completed. A total of 859 AYUSH Yoga Assistants have been appointed.
He said that 397 AYUSH dispensaries and 109 sub-health centres have been upgraded into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, and 156 yoga instructors have been appointed in these institutions.
He further said that the current financial year’s Budget includes a provision for a daily yoga break for employees in industrial units. Weekly health campaigns are also being conducted for senior citizens through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
The Chief Minister said that practising Anulom-Vilom, Kapalbhati and Surya Namaskar for half an hour every day not only helps prevent diseases but also infuses life with positivity and renewed energy.
Regular Practice of Yoga Leads to a Healthy and Spiritual Life- Guru Maharaj Baba Brahm Dass Ji
Addressing the gathering, Guru Maharaj Baba Brahm Dass Ji said that yoga should be practised regularly in life. Regular practice of yoga keeps a person healthy, brings peace to the mind and opens the path to spirituality.
He said that saints, gurus and spiritual leaders have always embraced yoga and inspired society through their example. He also said that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini is playing an important role in taking yoga to every section of society.
Former MP, Sunita Duggal, Chairman, Rohtash Jangra, Chairman, Om Prakash, Chairman, Dev Kumar Sharma, Municipal Council Chairman, Shanti Swaroop and several other distinguished persons were present on the occasion.
Shrimad Bhagavad Gita’s Message Reaches Japan’s Parliament and its Top Leaders
Five-Day International Gita Mahotsav-2026 Begins in Japan
Gita Copies Gifted to Japanese Leaders, Reinforcing India-Japan Friendship
The International Gita Mahotsav (IGM)-2026, being held in Tokyo, Japan, has emerged as a significant milestone in promoting India’s eternal cultural heritage and the universal message of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita on the global stage. During the festival, copies of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita were presented to members of Japan’s National Parliament (Diet) as well as prominent political and social leaders of the country, making the event a vibrant symbol of the growing cultural, spiritual, and humanitarian ties between India and Japan.
At the inauguration of the International Gita Mahotsav on Friday, a copy of the Gita was presented to Yasutoshi Nishimura, senior leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Copies of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita were also presented to Yoshio Mochizuki, who played a key role in establishing the Gita in Japan’s House of Councillors (Upper House), and Atlantic Flat, who supported its establishment in the House of Representatives (Lower House), in recognition of their contributions.
Renowned Gita scholar and spiritual leader Pujya Swami Gyananand Ji Maharaj delivered a detailed exposition on the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita.
Among those present on the occasion were Dr. Amit Kumar Agrawal, Member Secretary of the Kurukshetra Development Board and Commissioner & Secretary, Information, Public Relations, Languages and Culture Department; Upender Singhal, Honorary Secretary, Kurukshetra Development Board; prominent representatives of the Indian community in Japan, including Ajay Narula, Rohan Agrawal, Vinay, Shrihari; and Vijay Narula, Member of the International Gita Jayanti Mela Authority, along with several distinguished guests.
A symposium organized on the occasion featured meaningful discussions on the global relevance of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, the role of spiritual values in world peace and human welfare, and ways to further strengthen India-Japan friendship.
Addressing the gathering, Swami Gyananand Ji Maharaj said the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is a timeless guide to life management for all humanity. It inspires individuals to embrace duty, self-discipline, leadership, moral values and a balanced way of life. He stated that in the present global environment, marked by increasing stress, competition, and conflict, the teachings of the Gita offer an effective path to peace, self-confidence, and inner balance.
Responding to a question from Japanese parliamentarian Yoshio Mochizuki regarding ways to cope with growing workload and stress in modern life, Swami Gyananand Maharaj explained the spiritual and practical significance of three important verses from the Bhagavad Gita. He emphasized that the Gita’s message of selfless action, equanimity, and self-restraint remains as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago.
Swami Gyananand Maharaj further stated that cultural, economic, and spiritual relations between India and Japan are continuously reaching new heights. He expressed confidence that the message of the Gita would further strengthen the bridge of spiritual and human values connecting the two nations.
Dr. Amit Kumar Agrawal, Member Secretary of the Kurukshetra Development Board, said that the International Gita Mahotsav has today become a global symbol of India’s cultural identity. Through this platform, there has been a significant rise worldwide in interest toward Gita studies, research, cultural dialogue, and Indian philosophy. New opportunities for academic research, translation projects, and cultural collaboration based on the Gita have emerged in Japan and several other countries.
He also noted that Japan is an important investment partner for Haryana, and the state government is actively encouraging Japanese investments in manufacturing, automobiles, technology, logistics, innovation, and advanced industries. As a result, economic and industrial cooperation between the two sides continues to strengthen.
Upender Singhal, Honorary Secretary of the Kurukshetra Development Board, stated that since its inception in 2016, the International Gita Mahotsav has evolved into a global cultural movement. Since 2019, the Haryana Government has successfully organized International Gita Mahotsav events in several countries, including Mauritius, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.
With the support of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, and Indian Missions abroad, the message of the Gita is reaching every corner of the world. Notably, Indian Missions organized Gita-based programmes in 53 countries last year.
It is noteworthy that the International Gita Mahotsav-2026 is being held in Japan from June 19 to June 23. The event commenced with the presentation of copies of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita to members of Japan’s Parliament, leading political figures, scholars, and supporters of India-Japan friendship.
Today, the International Gita Mahotsav has emerged as an effective instrument of India’s cultural and spiritual diplomacy. By promoting world peace, harmony, moral values, and the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family), the festival is playing a vital role in uniting humanity as one global family.
