Believe it or not: Macho man and judo black belt holder Putin finds Yoga difficult

Ufa (Russia): With Prime Minister Narendra Modi talking about yoga in a meeting with him in Ufa, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said the ancient Indian spiritual practice “looks difficult” and that is why he has not tried it. [caption id=“attachment_2333670” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Putin, a judo black belt holder, who has flown in a fighter aircraft, shot a Siberian tiger in the wild, plunged into the depths of Lake Baikal aboard a mini-submersible and ridden a horse in Siberia, finds Yoga difficult. Reuters[/caption] As the two leaders met in Ufa ahead of the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summits, Modi thanked Putin with regard to the celebrations of the International Day of Yoga on June 21 in Russia. The Prime Minister said it was held in all cities of Russia. Yoga will provide holistic healthcare to the new generation in the world, Modi said. In response, 62-year-old Putin, who holds an 8th dan black belt in Karate, said, “I do not know how to do yoga. When you people do it, it looks difficult. That is why I have not tried it.” Putin, speaking through a translator, said, “this is a very appealing kind of sport. I will consider what I can do in yoga, based on what I do in sports.” Thousands of yoga enthusiasts across the world took to the mats and stretched, bent and twisted their bodies in multiple complex postures as they marked the inaugural International Day of Yoga on 21 June. 21 June was declared as the International Day of Yoga by the UN General Assembly in December, 2014. 177 nations, out of 193 member states of the UN joined as co-sponsors, creating a new record for the highest number of co-sponsoring countries ever for an UNGA Resolution of such nature. PTI