International Yoga Day 2020: Theme, benefits of Yoga and everything you need to know

Since 2015, International Yoga Day is celebrated every year on June 21. During his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the idea of Yoga Day on 27th September 2014. On June 21, 2015, the first Yoga Day was celebrated. The date was chosen because June 21 is the longest day in Northern Hemisphere. The motive was to spread awareness about the benefits of yoga all across the world. The word Yoga has originated from the Sanskrit word Yuja which means 'to join or to unite.' It symbolizes the union of body and mind. Yoga practice has been dated to pre-Vedic Indian traditions, known to help cure mental and physical diseases and maintain fitness.

International Yoga Day 2020: Theme

This year, the theme of International Yoga Day is "Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family." Due to coronavirus pandemic, the world is facing a crisis and people are restricted to their homes to contain the spread of the novel COVID19. The theme has been chosen, keeping in mind the current scenario and encourage people to do yoga at home. Last year the theme of Yoga Day was "Yoga for Climate Action."

Yoga Day 2020: Benefits of Yoga

Yoga is known to keep the balance between body and mind and help get rid of age-old diseases. From chronic diseases to deadly diseases like cancer, Yoga is the solution to every problem. According to Yoga guru Swami Ramdev, practicing yoga asanas daily not only makes body fit, but it also builds immunity which is very important during the current coronavirus pandemic. On the other hand, pranayamas ensure proper blood circulation and sharpen the mind. Here are a few benefits of Yoga-

Boosts immunity
Relieves depression, anxiety and stress
Strengthens bones, relieve joint pain and spinal pain
Weight Loss
Boosts cardio and circulatory health
Improves athletic performance
Increases muscle strength and helps in weight gain/loss
Helps fight infections and respiratory diseases

International Yoga Day 2020 Contest

During 'Mann Ki Baat', Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited the people to participate in 'My Life My Yoga' video blog competition in which people can send their 3-minutes long videos performing yoga with their family at home. Announced by the Ministry of Ayush along with the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, the competition started on June 1 and the videos can be submitted till June 21. The contest will run in two legs. First, the winner will be chosen at the country level and in the second, global prize winners who will be selected from different countries.

Indian contestants will win 1 lakh, 50K and 25K for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd rank. The global winners will get US$2500, US$1500, US$1,000 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rank.