Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged the countrymen to indulge in Yoga stating that “Yoga is as important as salt”.  PM also compared the significances of Yoga in our daily lives and compared it to the importance of common salt.


Prime Minister led the International Yoga Day celebrations from Lucknow Ramabai Ambedkar maidan.

Along with PM, Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya performed Yoga along with above 60,000 participants including students of several schools, paramilitary personnel, government officials and volunteers.

Leading the celebrations of the third edition of the International Yoga Day at the rain-drenched Ramabai Amedkar Sthal, Modi said: "Salt is cheap and available in abundance. But its absence not just makes food tasteless but also affects organs of our body. Only a bit of salt is used (in cooking) but none can deny its importance, its nourishment value.

"Salt is not the sole requirement for life but without it life also cannot run. Like salt has an indispensable place in our life, we can give a similar place to yoga," he said.

PM also expressed gratitude towards United Nations for accepting his proposal to observe June 21 as International Yoga Day.