International Yoga Day 2017: Pranab Mukherjee praises initiative, says yoga provides physical, mental well-being

New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated a mass yoga demonstration in New Delhi on Wednesday and said yoga was a holistic approach to physical and mental health. Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the president for joining the yoga programme and inspiring the nation on International Yoga Day. [caption id=“attachment_3730915” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Pranab Mukherjee is due to leave office in a months time. Image courtesy: Twitter/@RashtrapatiBhawan[/caption] Inaugurating the event, Mukherjee said yoga was an ancient Indian practice which was very useful for curing many diseases and health disorders. “It is a holistic approach to physical and mental health and well-being,” the president said. He said that on the initiative of the prime minister the United Nations had declared 21 June as International Day of Yoga. This year, the third International Day of Yoga was observed. Mukherjee welcomed all participants to the mass yoga demonstration and urged them to practice yoga everyday as a fit mind and fit body was the abode of God. “Thank you Rashtrapati Ji for joining the YogaDay2017 programme and inspiring the nation,” tweeted Modi, who participated in a Yoga Day event in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow. Officers and staff members of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and their family members as well as residents of the president’s estate participated in large numbers in the mass yoga event.