Connect with us
Friday,24-July-2026
Breaking News

National News

Yoga a way of life, says Modi after inaugurating Yoga Day celebrations

Published

on

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated along with thousands of people in a Mass Yoga Demonstration at the Mysore Palace ground here on the occasion of 8th International Day of Yoga (IDY) on Tuesday, and said that ‘Yoga has become a way of life’.

Integrating the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ with celebrations of 8th IDY, Mass Yoga demonstrations are being organised at 75 iconic locations across the country under the leadership of 75 Union Ministers, along with the Yoga Demonstration by the Prime Minister. The Yoga demonstrations are also being held by various educational, social, political, cultural, religious, corporate and other civil society organisations and will be attended by crores of people across the country.

The Prime Minister’s Yoga programme at Mysuru is also part of the novel programme

‘Guardian Yoga Ring’, which is a collaborative exercise between 79 countries and United Nations organisations along with Indian Missions abroad to illustrate Yoga’s unifying power that surpasses National boundaries.

Since 2015, the International Day of Yoga (IDY) has been celebrated worldwide on June 21 every year. The theme for this year’s Yoga day is “Yoga for Humanity”. The theme portrays how Yoga served humanity in alleviating suffering during the Covid Pandemic.

Governor of Karnataka Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Union Minister for Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal were among those present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said the yogic energy, which has been nurtured for centuries by the spiritual centers of India like Mysuru, is today giving direction to global health.

“Today yoga is becoming a basis for global cooperation and is providing a belief of a healthy life to mankind,” he added. He said, “Today we see that Yoga has come out of the households and has spread all over the world and this is a picture of spiritual realization, and that of natural and shared human consciousness, especially in the last two years of an unprecedented pandemic,” PM Modi stated.

He further said, “Yoga has now become a global festival. Yoga is not only for any individual, but for the entire humanity. Therefore, this time the theme of International Day of Yoga is – Yoga for humanity.” He thanked the United Nations and all the countries for taking this theme globally.

Quoting the Indian sages, the Prime Minister emphasized “Yoga brings peace for us. The peace from yoga is not merely for individuals. Yoga brings peace to our society. Yoga brings peace to our nations and the world. And, Yoga brings peace to our universe.”

“This whole universe starts from our own body and soul. The universe starts from us. And, Yoga makes us conscious of everything within us and builds a sense of awareness,” he underlined.

The Prime Minister remarked that India is celebrating Yoga Day at a time when the country is celebrating its 75th year of Independence, the Amrit Mahotsav.

This widespread acceptance of Yoga Day, the Prime Minister said, “is the acceptance of that Amrit spirit of India which gave energy to India’s freedom struggle. That is why Mass Yoga demonstrations are being organised at 75 iconic locations across the country which have been witness to the glorious history of India and have been the center of cultural energy.”

“The experience of collective yoga at the historical sites of India is like tying together India’s past, India’s diversity, and India’s expansion”, he elaborated.

He also informed about the novel programme ‘Guardian Yoga Ring’, which is a collaborative exercise between 79 countries and United Nations organisations along with Indian Missions abroad to illustrate Yoga’s unifying power that surpasses national boundaries.

“As the sun moves from the east to the west across the world, the Mass Yoga Demonstrations in the participating countries, if seen from any one point on Earth, will seem to be happening one after the other, almost in tandem, thus underlining the concept of ‘One Sun, One earth’. “These practices of yoga are giving wonderful inspiration for health, balance and cooperation”, he added.

Modi pointed out that Yoga is not just part of life for us, today, it has become a way of life. He said Yoga need not be limited to a particular time and location.

He said, “No matter how stressful we are, a few minutes of meditation relaxes us and increases our productivity. Therefore, we do not have to take yoga as an extra work. We also have to know yoga and we also have to live yoga. We also have to achieve yoga, we also have to adopt yoga. When we start living yoga, Yoga Day will become a medium for us not to do yoga, but to celebrate our health, happiness and peace.”

The Prime Minister said that today is the time to realize the infinite possibilities associated with yoga. “Today our youth are coming in large numbers with new ideas in the field of yoga. He informed about the Startup Yoga Challenge by the Ayush Ministry. The Prime Minister congratulated the winners of 2021 winners of ‘Prime Minister’s Awards for outstanding contribution for Promotion and Development of Yoga’.”

National News

After DU, JNU advises students to avoid Jantar Mantar amid CJP protest

Published

on

New Delhi, July 24: After the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has also issued an advisory asking students and other stakeholders to refrain from visiting Jantar Mantar, where the Cockroach Janta Party is holding a protest over the NEET paper leak and other issues.

In an advisory issued on Friday, the university urged members of its academic community to act responsibly and prioritise their personal safety.

“All stakeholders of JNU’s epistemic community are advised to act responsibly and prioritise their personal safety. In accordance with the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India’s directions on public demonstrations, you are requested to refrain from participating in or visiting gatherings at or around Jantar Mantar, New Delhi,” the advisory stated.

The university also cautioned students about their conduct on social media, warning that violations could attract legal and disciplinary action.

“Please exercise responsibility on social media. Violations may invite legal consequences under applicable laws as well as disciplinary action under the University’s code of conduct,” the statement said.

It further urged students and staff to uphold the principles of responsible citizenship, saying, “You are also encouraged to uphold the values of academic responsibility and responsible citizenship.”

The advisory came a day after Delhi University issued a similar appeal to its students and faculty members, urging them to stay away from demonstrations at Jantar Mantar due to potential safety and legal consequences.

In its statement on Thursday, DU said that the safety and well-being of students remained its foremost priority and warned against participation in unlawful assemblies or demonstrations.

“Dear students and faculty, your safety matters to us,” the advisory said, adding that gatherings at Jantar Mantar are subject to regulations and restrictions laid down under directions of the Supreme Court of India.

The advisories from the two central universities came amid continued protests at Jantar Mantar over the demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan despite activist Sonam Wangchuk ending his 26-day fast.

Continue Reading

National News

Female student injured during Jantar Mantar protest conscious, responding to commands: RML Hospital

Published

on

New Delhi, July 24: The 21-year-old woman who sustained critical injuries during a protest-related incident at Jantar Mantar earlier this week is now conscious, breathing on her own, and responding appropriately to commands, according to a statement by Dr Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on Friday.

The hospital said the patient has shown significant clinical improvement since being admitted in a critical condition following the incident.

“She is showing clinical improvement. She was successfully extubated (removed from the ventilator) almost 48 hours back and is breathing on her own. She is conscious and responding appropriately to commands,” the hospital said in a statement.

The woman has been undergoing intensive treatment at the hospital since she was brought in from the protest site with severe injuries.

Doctors said her condition has stabilised, although she continues to require close monitoring and advanced medical care.

“Her clinical condition is currently stable. However, she needs and continues to receive comprehensive critical care under the close supervision of the multidisciplinary treating team,” the statement added.

The student was injured during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20. According to reports, she suffered serious injuries after allegedly colliding with a police barricade during a crackdown on demonstrators attempting to march towards Parliament.

The incident occurred amid chaotic scenes during the CJP’s ‘Sansad Chalo’ march, which began at Jantar Mantar and aimed to proceed towards Parliament. Protesters were demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging irregularities in various competitive examinations, including the controversy surrounding the NEET-UG paper leak.

Meanwhile, Cockroach Janta Party has said that its protest at Jantar Mantar will continue even after activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day fast on Thursday and reiterated that the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan remains its primary demand.

Continue Reading

Crime

NCB crackdown forces Myanmar drug cartels into forests and river routes

Published

on

New Delhi, July 23: The Guwahati and Imphal zonal units of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have stepped up operations against narcotics cartels operating out of Myanmar.

India is battling narcotics smuggling on multiple fronts, with drug cartels operating out of Myanmar emerging as a major security concern. While the Guwahati and Imphal zonal units of the NCB have made several major seizures in 2025 and 2026, enforcement agencies have observed a shift in the smuggling methods and operational patterns adopted by these networks.

As law enforcement agencies tighten the noose around drug cartels operating between Myanmar and India, the traditional routes used to smuggle narcotics have begun to change.

An official said the cartels primarily smuggle heroin and methamphetamine into India. “Earlier, when surveillance and scrutiny were less stringent, traffickers used conventional routes and operated with relative ease. However, they have now shifted to dense forests and riverine stretches to evade detection,” the official said.

While enforcement agencies are working to dismantle these smuggling routes, the task remains challenging because of the difficult terrain along the India-Myanmar border. According to officials, traffickers typically move consignments under the cover of darkness, making detection far more difficult. They also exploit adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain, knowing that surveillance and movement by security personnel are often affected during such periods, an official said.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that the supply chain is a complex one. Multiple layers are involved, which makes detection and investigation tricky. These Myanmar-based cartels have their supply chains leading to Assam and Manipur.

After the drugs originate from Myanmar, they get passed on to the cross-border couriers. “These traffickers are assisted by the transport coordinators, following which it reaches the local facilitators, who then get in touch with the receivers of the consignment, who then supply it into the market,” the IB official said.

Further, there is another chain which involves the finances. Those who handle the illicit finances are random people who are not usually under the radar of any agency. Their job is to collect the money from the consignment receivers and then route it back to the cartels using several illicit channels.

“As compared to the narcotic smuggling that one witnesses along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab, this one is a much more complex one,” said an official.

In Punjab, Pakistan-based smugglers now rely largely on drones to drop contraband across the border, reflecting a more technology-driven method of trafficking. In contrast, drug cartels operating out of Myanmar continue to depend primarily on human couriers and traditional smuggling networks, with comparatively limited use of technology.

Another official said that the use of such complex terrains and networks makes the job of the agencies much harder. Multiple layers need to be monitored, and since it is a well-oiled mechanism, it would take some time before a complete crackdown takes place, the official also explained.

The recent arrest of Nengzatuan, alias Tuanpi, a resident of Haichin in Myanmar’s Chin State, has given a significant boost to the NCB’s operations. Wanted in multiple narcotics cases, Tuanpi was arrested in Manipur. Investigators believe his interrogation will provide valuable insights into the logistics network used by Myanmar-based drug cartels and help agencies dismantle their supply chain.

The arrested person is not a small-time operative, and he was one of the main international suppliers, who was operating out of Chin State. His questioning is crucial, and the details he would provide to the NCB will help the agency break down the supply chains from Myanmar into India better.

An official said Tuanpi is expected to provide crucial information on the smuggling routes and logistics network used by the cartels. The intelligence gathered from his interrogation is likely to strengthen efforts to curb the flow of narcotics into India and also shed light on how drugs trafficked into the country are subsequently routed to international markets, the official added.

Continue Reading

Trending