- Thursday, March 27, 2025
The minister allocated funds for the development of Bahanaga village, the site where the train accident took place, killing nearly 300 people.
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIAN RAILWAYS minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday (21) actively participated in the celebration of the ninth International Day of Yoga in Balasore in the eastern state of Odisha. Prior to this, he had convened a meeting with local authorities, including the administrative and police officials, in light of a tragic accident involving three trains that claimed the lives of nearly 300 people earlier in the month in the same state.
During his three-day tour of the state, Vaishnaw, who is a member of the parliament from Odisha, also engaged with local individuals who selflessly extended their support. To contribute to the development of Bahanaga village where the crash took place and its hospital, the minister allocated Rs 1 crore from his MP local area development (LAD) fund, in addition to another Rs 1 crore from railways funds.
On Tuesday (20), Vaishnaw took part in Odisha’s famous Rath Yatra (chariot festival) in the coastal town of Puri.
Yoga with people of Balasore. pic.twitter.com/BtgVECaqp0
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) June 21, 2023
महाप्रभु श्री जगन्नाथ जी की जगप्रसिद्ध रथ यात्रा का पुण्य आरंभ। pic.twitter.com/kIAhRJ4c33
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) June 20, 2023
The International Day of Yoga, celebrated worldwide on June 21, provides a platform to promote the manifold benefits of yoga and advocate for its comprehensive approach to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
Several federal ministers and state chief ministers actively participated in this year’s event. Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal performed yoga at the iconic Gateway of India in Mumbai, while Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma engaged in yoga exercises in Dhubri, Assam.
Prime minister Narendra Modi, currently on a state visit to the United States, conveyed his wishes to the nation, highlighting the historical significance of more than 180 countries coming together in response to India’s call.
Indian president Droupadi Murmu also participated in a yoga session at Rashtrapati Bhavan, her official residence.
“Yoga makes all of us more capable to face the growing challenges in our lives,” she said in a tweet.
Later in the day, Modi would join a yoga programme organised at the UN headquarters. Indian vice president Jagdeep Dhankar, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Ayush minister Sarbanand Sonowal gathered at the garrison ground in Jabalpur in the central Indian state to perform yoga.
JP Nadda, national president of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, participated in the International Yoga Day program at Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Gurugram in the northern state of Haryana. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami embraced yoga in Haridwar, while sports minister Anurag Thakur joined the International Yoga Day celebrations in his home state Himachal Pradesh.
The collective participation of dignitaries and citizens from various regions emphasised the importance of yoga as a means to enhance physical fitness, mental clarity, and spiritual growth. The event served as a reminder of the global recognition of yoga’s transformative power and its ability to foster harmony and well-being on both individual and societal levels.
(With agency inputs)
