New Delhi [India], June 21 (ANI): Chief Ministers of several states performed yoga on the occasion of the 8th International Yoga Day.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the International Yoga Day program at Chowkidinghee field in Dibrugarh.

Health Minister, Keshab Mahanta, Cultural Affair Minister, Bimal Borah, MLAs, Principal Secretary, HFW Avinash P. Joshi, IAS, Dr MS Lakshmi Priya, IAS, MD, NHM and Director, Ayush, Special DGP - GP Singh along with other dignitaries also attended the program.

"I take this opportunity to thank our visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his endeavour in yoga getting official global recognition and making it a part of our daily life," said Sarma.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur led a mass Yoga event at Ridge Maidan on the occasion of International Yoga Day.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also performed yoga at Chhattisgarh Sadan in New Delhi.

"Yoga is a spiritual process, which binds mind, body and soul in one," said Baghel.

Extending Yoga day greetings to the people of the state, he appealed to people to add yoga to their daily routine. He said that maintaining a regular yoga practice helps keep the body and mind healthy.

"Sustained health and fitness is the biggest achievement of all. Yoga is a spiritual process, which binds mind, body and soul into one. Let's add Yoga to our daily routine for our physical, psychological and mental well-being. Yoga is more than just a workout involving both mind and body", said Baghel in his message.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar performed yoga and made a major announcement in view of the Central government's Agnipath recruitment scheme.

"Those (75 per cent of Agniveers who would return after 4 yrs of service) who want to get Haryana Govt jobs will be given guaranteed jobs. Those who want can get inducted into any cadre for Group C jobs. Otherwise, we have jobs in Police, which will be given to them," said Khattar.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami performed Yoga at Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh to mark the 8th International Yoga Day.

"Yoga is being celebrated across the state and the world today. I appeal to all to practice Yoga daily to reap its various benefits," said Dhami.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia take part in the International Day of Yoga celebrations at Thyagraj Stadium.

Kejriwal appealed to Delhiites to resolve to practise Yoga and Pranayam every day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended greetings on the eighth International Day of Yoga and said that yoga brings peace to society.

Addressing the main event of the eighth edition of the International Day of Yoga in the heritage city of Mysuru in Karnataka, PM Modi said, "I extend my greetings to all on this 8th International Yoga Day. Today, Yoga is being practised in all parts of the world. Yoga brings peace to us.

The peace from Yoga is not only for individuals, it brings peace to our nations and the world."He said that yoga is not only for any individual but for the entire humanity."Yoga is not only for any individual but for the entire humanity. This is the reason that the theme of International Yoga Day is 'Yoga for humanity'," said PM Modi.

This year the theme for the celebration is "Yoga for humanity".

The theme has been selected after much deliberation/consultation and it appropriately portrays, how during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, yoga served the humanity in alleviating the suffering and in the emerging post-COVID geo-political scenario too, it will bring people together through compassion, kindness, foster a sense of unity and build resilience among people world over.

Prime Minister's Yoga programme at Mysuru is also part of the novel programme 'Guardian Yoga Ring' which is a collaborative exercise between 79 countries and United Nations organisations along with Indian Missions abroad to illustrate Yoga's unifying power that surpasses National boundaries.

As the sun apparently moves from the east to the west across the world, the Mass Yoga Demonstrations in the participating countries, if seen from any one point on Earth, will seem to be happening one after the other, almost in tandem, thus underlining the concept of 'One Sun, One earth'.The Digital yoga exhibition will showcase the latest technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) to project the history and wisdom of Yoga.

The static exhibition consists of 146 stalls which have been taken up by yoga institutions, Ayush institutions under the ambit of the Government of Karnataka and the Government of India.

Keeping the overarching theme of the 75 years of India's independence the Ministry for Ayush also identified 75 locations for Union Ministers to participate in the Yoga Day celebration.

This year International Day of Yoga 2022 will see many firsts, including the 'Guardian ring', yoga demonstrations by Union cabinet ministers at 75 iconic locations in India and a special digital yoga and static exhibition in Mysuru Dussera Grounds, Mysuru.

The Digital yoga exhibition will showcase the latest technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) to project the history and wisdom of Yoga. The static exhibition consists of 146 stalls which have been taken up by yoga institutions, Ayush institutions under the ambit of the Government of Karnataka and the Government of India.

According to the Ministry of Ayush, it is expected that as many as 25 crores of people will participate in International Day of Yoga 2022 celebrations across the world.

Earlier, Yog Guru Ramdev performed yoga at Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar. Many children and other people also attend the event.

It was during his speech at the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014, that Prime Minister Narendra Modi first floated the idea of International Yoga Day. The draft resolution passed by India was supported by 177 nations. With universal recognition and growing popularity of Yoga, the United Nations declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on December 11, 2014.

The first International Yoga Day was celebrated on June 21, 2015. (ANI)