Srinagar, June 21 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the world is looking at yoga as a powerful agent of global good.

Modi was addressing an event while leading celebrations of International Day of Yoga at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) on the banks of Dal Lake.

The Yoga celebration was disrupted due to rain and the event was shifted indoors at SKICC. The event was originally slated to be held in the lawns of SKICC.

“The theme of this year's International Yoga day is 'Yoga for Self and Society'. The world is looking at Yoga as a powerful agent of global good. Yoga helps us live in the present moment without baggage of the past,” Modi said while addressing the participant.
“Yoga helps us realise that our welfare is related to the welfare of the world around us. When we are peaceful within, we can also make a positive impact on the world.”

The Prime Minister said the expansion of yoga has created employment and said the tourists across the globe were visiting India to learn authentic Yoga.

“People from all over the world are coming to India in pursuit of learning authentic yoga. And as a result of this, sectors related to hospitality, tourism, apparel, etc. are booming from the huge inflow of people. This is creating new avenues for employment opportunities for youth," Modi said.

Modi said he proposed the celebration of International Yoga Day at the United Nations in 2014 and the proposal was supported by 177 nations, which was a record in itself.

“Yoga is now being celebrated all over the world,” he said.

He said the attraction towards Yoga in entire Jammu and Kashmir has given a new impetus to the tourism sector.
Modi arrived in Srinagar on Thursday for his first visit to the union territory after being sworn in as Prime Minister for the third time.
UNI MJR ING