Telangana celebrates International Yoga Day with grand event at Gachibowli Stadium
The event was jointly organised by the Department of AYUSH and the Telangana Medical and Health Department.
The programme commenced with a yoga photo exhibition from 0620 to 0630 hours, followed by a virtual address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi broadcast on LED screens from 0630 to 0700 hours. A 45-minute mass yoga session was then held from 0700 to 0745 hours.
Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha, Sports Minister Vakiti Srihari, Sports Authority Chairman Shivsena Reddy, Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, along with several officials and students, participated in the celebrations. In total, more than 5,000 individuals performed yoga during the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha said that yoga is a profound gift India has offered to the world. He emphasised remembering Maharishi Patanjali, the revered guru who systematised the ancient practice, and highlighted the significance of Ashtanga Yoga, which he described as the foundation of modern yoga.
"Yoga is not just a physical exercise—it is a holistic practice that unites the body, mind, and soul," the minister said. "In today's fast-paced world, lifestyle-related ailments like blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and kidney issues are increasing. Yoga offers the best solution for these problems."
He urged everyone to incorporate yoga into their daily lives, stating that all it requires is determination and a good teacher. "Regular yoga practice enhances mental clarity, physical strength, and concentration."
Minister Rajanarsimha also outlined the government's efforts under Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's leadership to promote yoga across the state. These include the appointment of 630 yoga instructors, with another 264 appointments in progress, and the daily conduct of yoga sessions in health sub-centres.
"In the past year alone, we have introduced yoga to 5 lakh new individuals. We are also encouraging yoga education in schools and colleges and are launching postgraduate courses in Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences. More initiatives will soon be rolled out to bring yoga closer to the people," he added.
UNI VV ARN
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
CM Yogi inaugurates UP's first green hydrogen plant in Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday, inaugurated Uttar Pradesh's first and India's second green hydrogen plant, built by Ahmedabad-based Torrent Group at Khanimpur in Gorakhpur. The project, jointly developed by Torrent Group entities Torrent Power and Torrent Gas, will have an annual production capacity of 72,000 tonnes per annum Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the CM said green hydrogen is the energy of the future and highlighted UP's vast potential due to its abundant water resources. 'The Green Hydrogen produced at the plant will be blended with natural gas in Torrent Gas' City Gas Distribution infrastructure in Gorakhpur, maintaining its concentration up to 2 per cent,' the group said in a statement. The green hydrogen blended with natural gas will be further supplied to domestic households, CNG stations and industries in the region through the already laid network of natural gas pipelines. The CM emphasised that advancing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Net Zero vision is crucial for protecting life, reducing carbon emissions, and promoting green energy to safeguard the environment and public health. Aligned with the PM's vision, the plant marks a significant step toward achieving pollution-free energy. He said the plant will play an important role in various sectors including energy and power, health and prevention of various diseases. The CM added that the Torrent Group already has a CNG plant in Gorakhpur. Now, the new plant will enable blending of green hydrogen with CNG and PNG gas that will be supplied to households for cooking. The CM expressed hope that, beyond producing green energy, the plant will also serve as a centre for innovation. Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. The CM highlighted that Uttar Pradesh is rich in water resources, with water available at just ten meters depth in many areas, providing a strong foundation for green hydrogen production. The CM said carbon emissions arise from all polluting activities, including cooking with wood or coal. Highlighting PM Modi's Ujjwala Scheme, he noted that free LPG connections have been provided to 10 crore families to reduce health risks from smoke. He added that the Prime Minister recently announced increased funding and a package for cheaper cooking gas in the next phase of the scheme. The Chief Minister said that earlier normal bulbs were used in street lights, which caused higher carbon emissions and consumed more energy, producing escalated electricity bills. Today, with LED street lights, energy consumption has decreased and carbon emissions have also gone down. LEDs do not burn insects and do not cause bad odour. In contrast, earlier halogen bulbs attracted countless insects after rainfall. Lacking wind energy CM Yogi said that while Uttar Pradesh has hydropower and thermal energy, it lacks wind energy. The state government has set a target of 22,000 MW of renewable energy, of which 6,000 MW has been achieved so far, with ongoing efforts to further increase production. CM Yogi said that renewable energy requires supplementary sources, and in the future, hydrogen energy will be the most promising. While currently expensive, he predicted that it will become as affordable as mobile phones. The Chief Minister said that green energy will change the fate of the entire world. Today, the adverse effects on nature and human health have two major reasons: first, tampering with nature, and second, excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in agriculture. These are also the causes of cancer, liver damage, and other serious diseases. "Tampering with nature is leading to climate change. Rainfall is also being delayed. The rains should have ideally occurred in July, but now it is happening late. Earlier, during Navratri, rice flakes would arrive in homes, but now with delayed seasons, crops are also delayed," he remarked. 'Today, while some areas are experiencing heavy rainfall, others are facing drought. People are cutting down trees, pollution is damaging and contaminating water sources. Through these actions, we are jeopardizing not only human lives but also the lives of other living beings,' stated Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. CM Yogi said that solutions to environmental challenges lie in human hands, emphasising natural farming and green energy. Praising Torrent Group, CM Yogi said the company has ensured electricity connections to every home in Agra and is providing cooking gas through PNG in 16 other districts. Highlighting piped drinking water and cooking gas as achievements, he added that gas supply through pipelines is part of PM Modi's ambitious vision of a 'Viksit Bharat'. Notably, Torrent Gas has licence to provide Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) in Gorakhpur, Sant Kabirnagar and Kushinagar districts. Torrent has already set up 32 CNG stations and supplies gas to over 12,000 domestic households and 73 industries and commercial establishments in the region and intends to grow its gas distribution infrastructure in the region significantly. At the inauguration, MP Ravi Kishan Shukla said that the nation is witnessing CM Yogi's vision of development and welfare, noting that improved law and order and policy reforms have made Uttar Pradesh an attractive destination for investors from across India and the world. Welcoming CM Yogi at the inauguration, Sahjanwa MLA Pradeep Shukla said that under his leadership, Uttar Pradesh is being developed with full commitment, aiming to become a fully developed state by 2047. On the occasion, Torrent Group Director Jinal Mehta said that under CM Yogi Adityanath's leadership, Uttar Pradesh offers a 'red carpet, not red tape' for investors. He highlighted the state's progress in law and order and ease of doing business, noting that in the past eight and a half years, Torrent Group has faced no bureaucratic hurdles. He added that the Gorakhpur green hydrogen plant is not only UP's first but also the country's largest city gas distribution project. Blending Green Hydrogen into Gorakhpur's gas grid is a step in achieving a practical, scalable pathway to net-zero target of the country. It lowers emissions, builds demand for green molecules, and creates a platform for deeper de-carbonisation in transport and industry, he said. The programme was also attended by MLA Vipin Singh, CM's advisor Awanish Kumar Awasthi, State Women's Commission Vice-President Charu Chaudhary, BJP District President Janardan Tiwari, Kalibari Mahant Ravindra Das, and Torrent Gas Director Manoj Jain, among others. On the occasion, the CM planted a Rudraksha sapling, sending a message of environmental protection.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
AIIMS Jammu secures 7th rank in govt medical universities ranking; emerges second after Delhi
AIIMS Jammu JAMMU: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Jammu achieved a landmark recognition in Government Medical Universities Ranking 2025, securing 7th position nationwide and emerging as the second-highest ranked institute after AIIMS Delhi, officials said. A handout issued late on Saturday evening stated that AIIMS, Jammu, scored an impressive 385.62 out of 400 in Academic and Research Excellence, underscoring the quality of its teaching, advanced curriculum, and the strength of its 130-plus research projects. 'It has emerged as the second-highest ranked institute after AIIMS, Delhi,' officials said. Expressing pride and gratitude on the achievement, Professor Shakti Kumar Gupta, executive director and CEO, credited this success to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose mission to establish AIIMS in every state under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana has transformed India's healthcare landscape. AIIMS, Jammu, has grown from one MBBS batch of 50 students to now 100 students annually, and launched BSc in Nursing with 60 students, and introduced MD, MS, MDS, and MCh in paediatric surgery programmes, Dr Gupta said.
United News of India
a day ago
- United News of India
Most air purifier claims lack real-life testing, warn researchers
New Delhi, Aug 17 (UNI) Planning to purchase that sleek air purifier for your home or office? You may want to think twice. While these devices---from sleek designer models to compact plug-and-play gadgets--- are widely marketed as solutions for cleaner, healthier indoor air, new research suggests that many of them lack real-world evidence to support their claims. In fact, some may even produce harmful byproducts like ozone, raising fresh concerns about their long-term safety and effectiveness, as has been found by researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) — part of the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study, published in the latest Annals of Internal Medicine, analysed nearly 700 studies conducted between 1929 and 2024 on various air-cleaning methods such as HEPA filters, ultraviolet (UV) light systems, ionisers, and advanced ventilation designs. Strikingly, only 9% of these studies actually assessed whether the devices reduced illness in humans. 'We were surprised to find that most of the research tested air cleaning devices in lab chambers, not in real-world settings where people live, work or go to school,' said Dr. Lisa Bero, professor of internal medicine and co-author of the study. 'We need stronger studies that look at actual health outcomes, whether people are actually exposed to fewer pathogens or get sick less often — and not just measurements of particles in the air.' Most studies examined indirect indicators — such as reductions in dust, harmless microbes, or tracer gases — rather than tracking actual viral or bacterial infection rates. Very few evaluated whether people got sick less often after using these devices. 'Many of these technologies look promising on paper, but we just don't know if they work in the real world,' said Dr. Amiran Baduashvili, associate professor of medicine and the paper's lead author. 'People are buying and installing these systems in homes and schools hoping to protect themselves and their families — but the science hasn't caught up to the marketing.' It's not only about their effectiveness. The researchers also raised concerns about potential harms from certain air-cleaning devices. Technologies like ionisers, plasma-based systems, and some ultraviolet light purifiers can produce ozone, a gas known to irritate the lungs and aggravate respiratory conditions. 'Ozone and other chemicals created by some air-cleaning devices can actually harm the respiratory system, especially in children or people with chronic respiratory illnesses,' said Louis Leslie, co-author of the study and senior professional in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. The study found that only a small portion of existing research even examined such risks, despite their potential public health implications. 'It may be worth checking whether the manufacturer provides data on any potentially harmful emissions from a device and what can be done to minimise them,' added Bero. 'Being more aware of possible risks is an important part of making informed decisions, especially as more people and organisations spend money on these technologies and bring them into clinics, schools and homes.' While advanced filtration systems and new technologies may play a role, experts stress that simple, low-cost interventions are still the foundation of healthy indoor air. 'We're not saying these technologies don't work - we're saying we don't know enough yet,' Bero said, adding, 'Public health decisions should be based on solid, independent evidence.' Until that evidence is stronger, researchers advise people to prioritise natural ventilation, open windows regularly, and clean frequently. These everyday practices remain some of the most effective ways to reduce airborne contaminants and limit the spread of infection indoors. 'This study highlights the urgent need for better science to guide how we make our indoor environments safer — especially as respiratory infections continue to pose a serious public health threat,' said Bero. UNI AJ ARN
