This marked the first real step towards re-establishing India as a world leader and today yoga is being embraced globally, Saini said, adding that yoga is a powerful tool for realising Modi’s vision of “Fit India, Hit India”.
To enhance transparency in the Ayush department, Saini launched three portals: E-Marketplace portal, Ayush Medicine Inventory portal, and E-Medicine Licensing portal.
The E-Marketplace portal will enable farmers and suppliers of medicinal plants to register and sell their products directly. The inventory portal will allow officials to monitor demand and stock, and the licensing portal will streamline the application process for new and renewed licenses, the statement said.
Speaking at the Yoga Mahotsav, which was also attended by Health, Family Welfare and Ayush Minister Arti Singh Rao, the chief minister said the event holds special significance as it comes just 25 days before the International Yoga Day.
Saini said yoga is more than just physical exercise, it is a lifestyle gifted by ancient sages who did years of penance and self-realisation.
“In the Gita, Lord Krishna said ‘Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam’ (Yoga brings skill in action). Yoga is about the union of body, mind, soul and the divine. This mahostav is a celebration of yoga’s significance and a call to integrate it into our lives,” he said.
Saini emphasised that the state government aims to make Haryana a model state not only in agriculture and industry but also in health. Yoga is a key tool in achieving this goal.
He claimed that Haryana is the only state where yoga is part of the curriculum, mandatory from Classes 1 to 12.
The chief minister also said 25,000 education department personnel have been trained as yoga teachers. The Haryana Yog Aayog has been established to promote yoga, and Shri Krishna Ayush University has been set up in Kurukshetra to promote yoga and Ayurveda, he said.
He said the National Institute of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy has been established in Panchkula and a Postgraduate Yoga and Naturopathy Research Institute was set up in Deverkhana in Jhajjar, where OPD (outpatient department) services have started.
The government is committed to establishing ‘Vyayamshalas’ in all 6,500 villages of the state, with 1,121 sites identified and construction completed at 714. A total of 877 Ayush Yoga Sahayak have been appointed, he said.
Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, all Ayurvedic dispensaries are being upgraded to Ayush Health and Wellness Centres. So far, 506 dispensaries have been upgraded and 126 yoga instructors were appointed.
He urged the youth to make yoga an inseparable part of their lives and encouraged dedicating time daily to perform yoga, pranayama, and meditation for physical and mental well-being.
Health Minister Arti Singh Rao said that the Yoga Mahotsav 2025 is an important milestone in preparation for International Yoga Day. It is heartening to see Haryana citizens not only understand yoga’s importance but also adopt it in their lives, she said.
Rao said yoga is one of India’s oldest and most precious traditions, not just physical exercise but a path to mental and spiritual peace. “It is a symbol of our culture that the world is now embracing.” She added that the Ayush Department and Haryana Yog Aayog are working tirelessly to bring yoga education to every citizen. Every village and town will have yoga instructors, ensuring that people integrate yoga into their daily lives.
The minister called on everyone to celebrate International Yoga Day on June 21. PTI SUN RUK RUK
