The International Yoga Day celebrations were held across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday with much enthusiasm and fervour.

Thousands of people from all walks of life joined the celebrations by performing yoga ‘asanas’ at special sessions held in cities, towns and villages of both the Telugu-speaking states.

Spiritual and voluntary organisations organised yoga training sessions in Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and other towns.

Governor of both the states E.S.L. Narasimhan and his wife Vimala Narasimhan along with the Governor’s staff officers participated in the yoga session held at Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu participated in Yoga Day celebrations along with youths in Vijayawada.

Impressed with the yoga ‘asanas’ performed by a young student, the Chief Minister announced that the government will make a fixed deposit of Rs 5 lakh for her higher studies. He also assured her that the government will bear expenditure of her participation in World Yoga Conference.

In Visakhapatnam, the Eastern Naval Command organised the celebrations. Navy officers and personnel in large numbers participated in the yoga camp at Naval Dock Yard.

The College of Defence Management (CDM) held a yoga session in Secunderabad, in which Army, Air Force and Navy officers participated. N. Ganesh Rao, renowned professor of yoga and Indian philosophy, spoke about the therapeutic and spiritual benefits of yoga.

India’s national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand led players and coaches in a yoga session at Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad. He said that yoga is a holistic system that develops not only physical competence but also control over mind.

It helps in control over the body, good breathing habits, to keep calm under pressure, and in developing concentration skills.