Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday launched a statewide yoga campaign from Gurugram, describing yoga as humanity’s “scientific and spiritual legacy” and a powerful tool for building a healthier, happier, and addiction-free society.
The campaign will culminate in a state-level event in Panchkula, with yoga sessions planned from gram panchayats to urban wards. (Parveen Kumar/HT)
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Addressing thousands of yoga enthusiasts at Maharana Pratap Swarn Jayanti Park (Leisure Valley) in Sector 29, Saini said yoga is not merely a physical exercise but a celebration of India’s cultural and spiritual heritage that has guided humanity towards balanced living for thousands of years.
“Yoga is not linked to any particular religion or sect. It is a scientific and spiritual legacy for all humanity. Today, people across the world are embracing yoga because of its proven benefits for physical health, mental well-being and inner peace,” Saini said.
Addressing enthusiasts in Gurugram, the chief minister highlighted yoga’s role in tackling stress, anxiety and lifestyle disorders. (Parveen Kumar/HT)
The chief minister formally inaugurated the state-level yoga practice campaign ahead of the 12th International Day of Yoga, which will be celebrated on June 21. He recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposal to observe an International Day of Yoga received unprecedented support from 177 countries at the United Nations General Assembly in 2014, leading to the first global celebration in 2015.
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Saini announced that Haryana will organise yoga camps across all districts, sub-divisions, blocks, wards and gram panchayats from June 1 to June 21, with the main state-level event scheduled to be held in Panchkula.
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Saini announced that Haryana will organise yoga camps across all districts, sub-divisions, blocks, wards and gram panchayats from June 1 to June 21, with the main state-level event scheduled to be held in Panchkula.
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Highlighting this year’s theme, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing,” the chief minister said modern lifestyles have contributed to rising stress, anxiety, sleep disorders, and unhealthy habits, making yoga more relevant than ever. “By making yoga a part of daily life, people can lead healthier, more energetic, and positive lives,” he said.
He reiterated the state’s commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle among youth through the campaign theme “Yoga-Yukt, Nasha-Mukt Haryana,” urging young people to stay away from substance abuse and embrace discipline and wellness.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
