The city of Jalandhar witnessed a historic yoga gathering on Thursday as more than 21,000 people came together at the PAP Ground for the state-level ‘CM Di Yogshala’ event, setting a new record for attendance at a single yoga session in Punjab.
Organisers had originally arranged for 17,000 yoga mats, but the enthusiastic response far exceeded expectations, reflecting growing public interest in wellness and fitness through yoga.
Though Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was expected at the event, it was presided over by Punjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, who led the session and urged citizens to make yoga a part of their daily lives.
“CM Di Yogshala is not just an event – it’s a movement towards a healthier and stronger Punjab,” said Dr. Balbir Singh, addressing the massive crowd. “Seeing such large participation from every section of society brings me great joy.”
The minister was joined by Deputy Commissioner Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal, Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur, and several dignitaries from government, health, and education sectors.
Launched two years ago in Jalandhar by CM Bhagwant Mann, the CM Di Yogshala initiative has grown rapidly. Today, around 3,200 free yoga classes are held daily across Punjab, reaching nearly one lakh people. The government has appointed trained instructors to ensure quality teaching.
Dr. Singh announced that the programme will soon expand to rural areas, aiming to include even more people from all corners of Punjab. He also highlighted the programme’s positive impact on mental health and the state’s anti-drug campaign, ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’.
The event saw participation from notable personalities including Jalandhar Mayor Vaneet Dheer, AAP leader Nitin Kohli, Principal Prem Kumar, Health Secretary Kumar Rahul, Vice Chancellor Dr. Sanjeev Sood, and ADGP Naresh Arora, among others.
The day ended with a strong message: health is wealth, and yoga is one of the simplest ways to achieve it — for individuals, communities, and the entire state.
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