Defence Minister Rajnath Singh takes part in International Yoga Day celebrations in Udhampur, hails Indian Army and Op Sindoor
By Tanya Chugh
Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 21 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the 11th International yoga Day celebrations in Udhampur of Jammu and Kashmir.
Singh met the army personnel here in Udhampur, praised their efforts in Operation Sindoor.
'Your bravery is widely admired across the nation. I salute the valour and courage of the Indian Army,' Rajnath Singh said while addressing the
He gave a clear message that Operation Sindoor was not just a reaction, and it is not over yet.
'The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam was not merely an isolated incident from across the border, but a direct attempt to target India's social and communal harmony. We not only foiled their nefarious plans but also delivered such a powerful response that Pakistan was forced to kneel down, leading us to announce a temporary halt to Operation Sindoor. As we have stated earlier, Operation Sindoor is not yet over,' said the Union minister.
'This operation was not just a reaction to the Pahalgam terror attack. Through Operation Sindoor, we have sent a clear message to Pakistan that sponsoring terrorism against India will have increasingly severe consequences. Operation Sindoor is the natural progression of the 2016 Surgical Strike and the 2019 Air Strike.'
'With this operation, we have conveyed to Pakistan that its long-standing campaign of inflicting wounds on India through terrorism will no longer succeed. Any terror attack on Indian soil will now come at a very high cost to Pakistan. India is fully prepared to take every necessary step in its fight against terrorism,' he added.
'Pakistan aims to weaken India from within. But it must never forget that for India's unity and integrity, Major Somnath Sharma sacrificed his life, and so did brave soldiers like Brigadier Usman, who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the nation. Today, I am in Udhampur, just a few hours from Naushera--the very place where Brigadier Usman laid down his life for Bharat Mata,' said Singh.
Expressing the importance of Yoga in our lives, the minister said, 'as our nation observes International Yoga Day, it is important to reflect on the true meaning of Yoga. Yoga means union. Uniting every section of society with India's culture and spirit is the essence of yoga. If even one section of society is left behind in this effort, the circle of India's unity and security will break. Therefore, today, let us practice not just physical yoga, but strive for unity in thought and society as well. This must be done with patience and deep resolve.'
'Today, the entire country is observing Yoga Day with enthusiasm--and not just India, but the whole world is embracing our cultural legacy. Yoga, an ancient tradition over a thousand years old, was once practised only by sages. Today, people across the globe are performing yoga. This is a reflection of India's growing global influence,' he added.
He further added, 'In today's world, where stress, anxiety, and unrest are widespread, yoga has emerged as a powerful solution.Yoga is not merely about sitting quietly with eyes closed--it's about mindfulness and inner control.'
The theme of this years yoga Day celebrations is 'Yoga for one Earth, one health,' aligning it with sustainability and global well being.
Speaking about the theme of this year's Yoga day celebrations, the Defence Minister said, 'Every year, we celebrate Yoga Day with a unique theme. This year's theme, 'One Earth, One Health', reflects India's belief in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam--that the whole world is one family.'
The Union Minister arrived in Udhampur on the evening of 20th June and took part in cultural celebrations and Bada khana with army personnel. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scroll.in
an hour ago
- Scroll.in
The paradox of English: It is both a foreign tongue and a deeply embedded Indian language
Alongside their offensive against Urdu, India's language nationalists appear to have turned their ire on English. That is what one could conclude from the declaration by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a book launch in New Delhi on Thursday, when he predicted that 'soon a time would come when those speaking English will feel ashamed'. 'In our lifetime, we will see a society in which those speaking English will feel ashamed, that day is not far,' he said. 'I believe that the languages of our country are the ornament of our culture. Without them, we would not have been Bharatiya. Our country, its history, its culture, our dharma – if these have to be understood, it cannot be done in foreign languages.' Shah's statement quickly sparked a political backlash. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, countered forcefully: 'English is not a dam, it is a bridge. English is not shameful, it is empowering. English is not a chain – it is a tool to break the chains.' Other opposition figures, including Trinamool Congress leaders Derek O'Brien and Sagarika Ghose, echoed this sentiment, slamming the home minister for what they saw as a regressive and divisive stance. Echoes of Mulayam Singh Shah's remarks recall a moment 35 years ago when Mulayam Singh Yadav, who was then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, launched his own crusade against English. In May 1990, Yadav infamously declared English to be 'the language of foreigners and the elite', blaming it for perpetuating socio-economic disparity and cultivating feelings of inferiority among non-English speakers. His one-point mission: Angrezi hatao. Banish English. In a curious twist, Yadav, a self-declared supporter of Urdu urged Urdu-speaking communities to unite with Hindi speakers to oppose English. Urdu, having only recently been granted official status as Uttar Pradesh's second language, was now being weaponised against a new linguistic rival. This contradiction is not out of character for Indian politics, where language often becomes a proxy for identity, power and culture. The disdain for English in some Indian political circles can be traced back to the 1950s and '60s, to socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia and even earlier, to Mohandas Gandhi and the Indian National Congress. Gandhi viewed English as an alien imposition that had displaced indigenous languages from their rightful place in Indian society. At Independence, the Indian Constitution made Hindi the official language, but allowed English to continue for a transitional period of 15 years. This compromise was pragmatic, not sentimental. English was seen as a necessary link language in a culturally and linguistically diverse nation. However, the efforts to impose Hindi on South India in the 1960s sparked widespread resistance and deepened the North-South linguistic divide. Even today, English continues to be viewed by many as a colonial vestige, despite its extensive indigenisation. The Lohia doctrine Lohia considered English to be not just a colonial leftover, but a barrier to original thought and mass education. He argued that true educational reform and people-oriented governance were possible only if conducted in the people's languages. Recognising India's cultural diversity, Lohia made exceptions for South Indian states, allowing them to retain English for inter-state and central communication for 50 years. However, his nuanced vision was distorted by his followers. The anti-English frenzy gained renewed vigour in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, leading to draconian steps like removing English from school curricula altogether. In Bihar in the 1970s, Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur reduced English to an optional subject, resulting in a generation of students branded as the 'Karpoori class' – matriculates without English proficiency. Mulayam Singh Yadav resurrected the campaign in the 1990s, giving it a political legitimacy that had long-lasting social consequences. Misplaced stereotypes Yadav's campaign also triggered unwarranted attacks on Christian institutions, which were accused of using English as a tool for religious conversion and elitist education. This conflation of English with Christianity mirrors the equally irrational equation in the Hindi heartland of Urdu with Islam. Such logic ignores the complex realities of Indian linguistic identity. English may have arrived with colonial Christians, but it soon became a key vehicle for political awakening and nation-building. It was through English that India's founding leaders – from Raja Rammohun Roy to Nehru – engaged with global currents of nationalism, democracy, liberty and modernity. The same language, intended by the British to produce obedient clerks, ended up producing freedom fighters, thinkers and reformers who led India's struggle for independence. More Indian than foreign? Despite its origins, English in India has long shed its colonial skin. It is the medium of scientific advancement, legal systems, administrative governance and higher education. It has played a vital role in the country's post-Independence progress – particularly in the globalisation era. Ironically, many politicians who publicly denounce English still prefer to send their children to English-medium schools. Even in the Hindi heartland, English remains a key administrative language. Today, English enjoys a paradoxical status: both a foreign tongue and a deeply embedded Indian language. English is also the mother tongue of the Anglo Indian community, a recognised minority in India, and serves as an official language in states like Nagaland. As globalisation continues to shape India's economic and cultural landscape, English remains the country's primary interface with the world. To treat it as a threat to Indian identity is to ignore the multifaceted reality of modern India. Language should be a medium of unity, not a tool of discord. English, like all Indian languages, must be valued for its integrative potential, not vilified for its past. The country does not need another round of linguistic chauvinism. Instead, India should recognise the multilingual richness of English – and the maturity to embrace it.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Operation Sindoor reflects control, inner strength of troops, gained by practising yoga: Rajnath Singh
India's armed forces displayed restraint, balance and precision during Operation Sindoor, which is a reflection of their inner strength attained by practising yoga, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, speaking in Jammu and Kashmir where he celebrated the 11th International Day of Yoga on Saturday (June 21, 2025). He performed various asanas and breathing exercises with approximately 2,500 soldiers of the Northern Command in Udhampur. International Yoga Day updates: June 21, 2025 Crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the global popularity of yoga, the Defence Minister said that the practice provides a holistic approach to health and well-being. Those who practice yoga in their daily lives have control over their body and mind, he said, adding that it makes the practitioner proactive, not reactive, and pointing to Operation Sindoor as a good example. Sindoor not over yet Claiming that India's social and communal unity was targeted through the Pahalgam terror attack, Mr. Singh said that Operation Sindoor was a clear message to Pakistan that it would face the consequences of supporting terror activities against India. 'Operation Sindoor is the natural progression of the surgical strike of 2016 and the air strike of 2019. It was executed in such a way that Pakistan requested for a ceasefire, and only then have we put a pause to the operation. As I have said earlier, Operation Sindoor is not over yet. India is fully prepared to take all kinds of action against terrorism,' Mr. Singh said. He also asserted that Pakistan wants to weaken India from within, but it should never forget that just like Major Somnath Sharma, Brigadier Usman too sacrificed his life for the unity and integrity of the country. Yoga's battlefield benefits When the nation is celebrating the International Day of Yoga, people should remember the true meaning of the practice, which is to connect every section of society with the culture and soul of India, the Defence Minister said. 'If even one section is left behind, the wheel of unity and security is broken. Therefore, today, we should perform yoga at the level of society and thought, and not just body,' he added. Yoga prepares a soldier physically and mentally and its benefits can be seen in the battlefield, he said, encouraging the soldiers to continue practicing it daily. The event was attended by Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt Gen Pratik Sharma.
Mint
2 hours ago
- Mint
Nepal govt thanks S Jaishankar for India's ‘swift' efforts in evacuating Nepali nationals from war-hit Iran
Nepal's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Arzu Rana Deuba, on Saturday thanked India for its 'swift assistance in helping to evacuate Nepali nationals from Iran'. Tagging Union Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar, Deuba said that India's support in Nepal's evacuation efforts is a 'reflection of strength of Nepal-India ties'. India on June 18 announced the launch of 'Operation Sindhu' to evacuate its nationals from Iran after its conflict with Israel, which has entered its second week, showed no sign of letting up. The Indian Embassy in Iran on Saturday said that its evacuation efforts will also cover Nepal and Sri Lanka. In a post on X, the Embassy said, 'On request of the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy's evacuation efforts in Iran will also cover Citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka.' "The citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka may urgently reach out to the Embassy, either on the Telegram channel or over the emergency contact numbers. 989010144557; 989128109115; 989128109109," it added. A Mahan Air evacuation flight carrying 256 Indian students, the majority from the Kashmir valley, landed safely at the Delhi airport on Saturday, bringing much-needed relief to their anxious families. According to a PTI report, the students, many of whom were stranded in Iran amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, appeared visibly exhausted but relieved after enduring days of fear and uncertainty in the conflict zone. "Thanks to the Government of India for its efforts and timely coordination with Iranian authorities. We remain committed to ensuring the safe evacuation of all remaining students, especially those from vulnerable and remote regions," the Jammu and Kashmir Students' Association said in a statement. The association also confirmed that another evacuation flight carrying Indian students is expected to arrive in the national capital around 11:30 pm. This was the second flight bringing back Indians from Iran within 24 hours under Operation Sindhu. Another flight from Iran's Mashhad, with 290 Indian students, mostly from Jammu and Kashmir landed in Delhi late on Friday night, the report added. The Indian authorities, in coordination with their Iranian counterparts, facilitated the movement of stranded students from Tehran to Mashhad before boarding. Iran also opened its airspace in a special gesture to support the evacuation. In all, nearly 1,000 Indian nationals are being brought home through a series of special flights. On Thursday, 110 students were flown out via Armenia and Doha. Two additional flights, including one from Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat (expected arrival around 3 am on Sunday), are also scheduled, a PTI report said.
