By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Almora, 31 Jan: Sports Minister Rekha Arya, while inaugurating the Yoga Asana competition in Almora, emphasised that athletes from all over the country should be introduced to the rich cultural and religious heritage of Almora. She inaugurated the competition on Friday, and Uttarakhand is considered a strong contender for victory in this event.
At the Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Sports Stadium in Almora, Sports Minister Rekha Arya spoke about the famous Jageshwar Dham temple, which was also visited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She suggested that all athletes should visit the temple, and each day, a team should be taken there. She also urged players to visit the temple of Golju Devta. Arya further stated that hosting the Yoga Asana competition in Almora, a city of cultural significance, is a matter of pride.
She highlighted that Uttarakhand is the birthplace of Yoga, so there are higher expectations from the state’s team in the Yoga Asana competition. The Sports Minister also praised District Magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey for organising this excellent event on such short notice.
The Yoga Asana competition will run from 31 January to 4 February, with 171 players from 22 states participating. The competition will take place in five categories: Traditional Yoga Asana, Artistic Yoga Asana Singles, Artistic Pair, Rhythmic Pair, and Artistic Group. A total of 66 medals will be awarded across these categories, including 22 gold, 22 silver, and 22 bronze medals.
The event was attended by MLA Manoj Tiwari, Mayor Ajay Verma, Raghunath Singh Chauhan, BJP District President Ramesh Bahuguna, General Secretary Dharmendra Bisht, former District President Ravi Rautela, Ganesh Jalal, Ashok Jalal, Lalit Tiwari, and others.
