Vijayawada: Minister for Medical and Health and Family Welfare Y Satya Kumar Yadav said the State government was conducting Yogandhra Mahotsavam in an effort to bring India’s rich cultural heritage closer to every citizen and to make yoga an integral part of their lifestyle.
He said the spirit of the winners in Yoga competitions and the significance of yoga serve as a guiding light for future generations. He made this remarks on Wednesday while participating in the grand felicitation ceremony held at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram in Vijayawada to honour the winners of the 11th International Yoga Day State-Level Competitions.
The competitions were held from June 16 to 18 at Don Bosco School, Guntupalli (Ibrahimpatnam mandal), where 526 participants competed in 15 categories across 42 events. A total of 193 participants emerged victorious and they were honoured and presented the prizes.
Competitions were held in Asana demonstrations, Surya Namaskar challenges, Artistic Yoga, Yoga song, painting, skit, quiz, essay writing, short film, and Yoga Photography. Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Cinematography Kandula Durgesh, AYUSH Director K Dinesh Kumar, Secondary Health Director A Siri, District Collector Dr G Lakshmisha and Joint Collector S Ilakkiya, among others were present in the felicitation event.
Minister Satya Kumar Yadav congratulated all winners at village, mandal, district and State-level competitions. He praised the fair conduct of the events and remarked on the growing global influence of yoga, now practiced in 175 countries, thanks to the efforts made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Satya Kumar said Andhra Pradesh under the guidance of the Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has gone a step further by conducting Yogandhra Mahotsavams in an unprecedented manner and made it a grand success. He highlighted that events were held at 103 tourism destinations across the State, showcasing the cultural richness of AP to to the world.
He further said plans were underway to extensively promote medical tourism. He said yoga plays a significant role in realising the visions of Viksit Bharat and Swarnandhra, paving the way for India to become the world’s number one economy.
He congratulated the NTR district administration for achieving a world record in Thematic Floating Yoga at Berm Park on Krishna river recently.
Minister for Tourism, Culture & Cinematography, Kandula Durgesh said Yogandra Mahotsavams was a sacred mission and not just a one-day event. “The State government is actively integrating yoga into the lives of all sections of society,” he said.
Emphasising the role of mental peace, the Minister said yoga ensures both physical and mental health.
AYUSH Director K Dinesh Kumar stated that despite challenges, yoga competitions were conducted with great enthusiasm as per the Chief Minister’s directives. Competitions were held across junior, young and senior divisions, with over 400,000 participants at the village level, 526 qualifying for the State level, and 193 emerging as winners.
Dinesh Kumar said the winners will perform yoga Asanas alongside the Prime Minister at the upcoming International Yoga Day celebration in Visakhapatnam on June 21.
He described the winners as torchbearers of yoga’s future journey. Health department Director A Siri elaborated on the yoga competition model used across the State. NTR District Collector Dr G Lakshmisha described Yogandra as a powerful movement inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
He noted that yoga has reached every corner of the State and left its mark on everyone’s heart. Hosting the State-level competitions in the district was a proud moment, he said.
Participants included Vijayawada RDO Kavuri Chaitanya, DMHO Dr M Suhasini, Additional Commissioner of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Dr D Chandrasekhar, AYUSH officials Dr V Rani, Dr Ramatlehi, Dr Ratna Priyadarshini, among others. Parents of the winners also attended the event.
