Shri Kadakampally Surendran, Hon'ble Minister for
Cooperation, Tourism & Devaswom,
Shri A.C. Moideen, Hon'ble Minister for Local Administration,
Shri Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of the Opposition,
Dr. A. Sampath, Member of Parliament,
Shri O. Rajagopal, Member of Legislative Assembly,
Shri Divakaran, Member of Legislative Assembly
Shri Lokanath Behra, Director General of Police,
Shri Ashok Kumar Aggarwal, President, Asian Yoga Federation,
Adv. B. Balachandran, President, Yoga Association of Kerala,
Shri M. Vijaya Kumar,
Dear Yoga enthusiasts,
Sahodaree Sahodaranmare,
Ellaavarkkum Ente Namaskaaram.
I am very happy to address you at the valedictory function of the 8th Asian Yoga Sports Championship which has been going on since 27th of September.
Let me at the outset congratulate all the participants of this Championship irrespective of whether they have won prizes or not. It is your lively participation which enriched this event. It has also been a platform for global cooperation and harmony and we in Kerala are really fortunate to have hosted this great event.
I am aware that apart from Indian contestants, we had youth from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, South Korea, China, United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, Iran and Sri Lanka participating in this event. The presence of Dr. Nouf Marwaai of Saudi Arabia who was recently awarded Padma Shri also deserves mention.
Since the championship involves competition and winning of prizes, let me also applaud the winners of this event.
I also place on record my deep sense of appreciation for the efforts of the Yoga Association of Kerala and the Yoga Federation of India in organizing this event. The Yoga Federation of India, which came into existence in 1990 has been working hard for the preservation and expansion of Yoga through its promotion, standardization and supervision in the country. And, with the Government of Kerala giving special attention to the development of sports Yoga, the Yoga Association of Kerala has been able to conduct one Championship at the national level and three at the State level.
As we all know, there has been a renewed interest in the practice of Yoga ever since our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's initiatives encouraged the United Nations General Assembly to observe June 21 as the International Yoga Day. That the resolution was supported by 177 member nations and accepted without dispute or vote shows the global appeal gained by Yoga.
The International Declaration of human Rights as well as the Constitutions of all nations ensure an individual's right to enjoy a life of mental and physical health, through various provisions. However, we often tend to feel that the realization of such rights is to be achieved mainly through state-of-the- art and costly health care facilities. This thinking needs to be corrected. Good health is to be achieved through healthy living and not through medication alone. Therefore, we also need to popularize and educate people on the importance of healthy living. Yoga is one such practice, which can be followed by any individual without incurring any expense.
Incidentally, I must inform that we at Kerala Raj Bhavan had been observing International Yoga Day ever since it was instituted. I can assure you that the participation has improved over the years. On a personal level, I can say that Yoga did help me in improving my health.
Patanjali, the sage who is considered by many as the father of modern Yoga believed that Yoga focuses on the art of concentration and on the methods of controlling one's mind. Considered as one of the six systems of Indian philosophy, Yoga emphasizes exercises of both the mind and the body. Yoga advocates a kind of detachment, which is to be attained by practice and a certain level of concentration. When we control our minds through concentration, our patience, performance and productivity improve, thereby enabling us to see the world in a balanced way.
Undoubtedly, Yoga is one of the treasures presented to the world by India. It is a part of the heritage of this great civilization. Those who sincerely practice Yoga are actually helping to preserve this heritage and pass it on to posterity.
I am certain that this Championship is one of the most effective ways of taking forward the heritage called Yoga.
I am informed that about 350 yoga players have participated in this championship, held for the first time in Kerala. I hope that the Competitions held in six categories such as Yogasana Sports, Artistic Yoga Sports, Artistic Pair Yoga Sports, Rhythmic Yoga Sports, Free Flow Yoga Dance and Professional Yogasana Sports would have helped to showcase the immense potential of Yoga in promoting a healthy life.
I also feel that this championship has offered us much more than competition. The large participation from various countries demonstrates how the practice of Yoga and meditation have transcended religious and national boundaries. All religions accept the power of concentration and meditation in ensuring a healthy mind and body. We also get the message that the regular practice of Yoga could foster peace and harmony in any society, by channelizing the power of the youth towards right actions and thinking.
To conclude, I would emphasize that Yoga has won recognition as a scientific path towards good health and social harmony. Let us use this gift to make our world more peaceful and healthy.
I once again greet all the participants and officials who have made this Championship a success.
I convey my best wishes to all people who worked to organize this event. I also compliment the organizers for conducting this function in a befitting manner.
Ellavarkkum Ente Aashamsakal
Nanni
Jai Hind
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