Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday participated in the ‘Run for Yoga’ programme organised at Police Lines in Dehradun ahead of the 12th International Day of Yoga celebrations.Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami takes part in 'Run for Yoga' event ahead of International Yoga Day, in Dehradun, on Friday. (PTI)Addressing participants, the Chief Minister said the event was not merely a run but a public awareness campaign aimed at promoting healthy living, positive thinking and wider adoption of yoga.“This programme is an important initiative towards creating awareness about yoga and building a healthy society,” he said.The Chief Minister said Uttarakhand, known as Devbhoomi, had for centuries remained a land of yoga, spiritual practices and penance by sages and saints. He said the state’s spiritual traditions and natural environment continued to inspire balance, wellness and positivity.Describing yoga as India’s ancient cultural heritage, the Chief Minister said it was a scientific and practical discipline that established harmony between the body, mind and soul.Yoga’s global recognitionThe Chief Minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving yoga international recognition through sustained global outreach.He said that after Prime Minister Modi proposed the idea at the United Nations General Assembly in 2014, June 21 was recognised as the International Day of Yoga. Today, people in more than 190 countries practise yoga, he added.The Chief Minister said yoga had emerged as an effective tool for maintaining a balanced and healthy life amid rising stress, depression and other health challenges.He urged young people to make yoga and physical exercise part of their daily routine.“Healthy, energetic and disciplined youth are the foundation of a brighter future for the state and the country,” he said.Focus on wellness and employmentThe Chief Minister said the state government was working continuously to establish Uttarakhand as a global hub for yoga, Ayurveda, wellness and naturopathy.He said the government’s new yoga policy aimed to encourage yoga and meditation centres, support yoga trainers and create employment opportunities linked to the wellness sector.The Chief Minister appealed to citizens to adopt yoga in their daily lives, maintain a healthy and disciplined lifestyle and contribute towards building a drug-free society.He also expressed confidence that the youth of Uttarakhand would play an important role in turning yoga into a mass movement and contribute towards building a healthy, prosperous and strong state.Cabinet minister Madan Kaushik, MLA Vinod Chamoli, Dehradun mayor Saurabh Thapliyal, Ayush secretary Ranjana Rajguru, Dehradun district magistrate Dr Ashish Chauhan and senior superintendent of police Parmendra Dobhal were present during the programme.