Govt wants TV and radio channels to promote International Yoga Day

The Centre is going all out to ensure that in its second year, the International Yoga day is marked by a publicity blitz on public as well as private media platforms.

The Centre is going all out to ensure that in its second year, the International Yoga day is marked by a publicity blitz on public as well as private media platforms.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined nearly 37,000 fellow participants at Rajpath to mark the International Day of Yoga last year. (HT File Photo)

The ministry of information and broadcasting has asked all TV channels, community radio and FM stations to do their bit for the big-ticket event.

As it did last year, the ministry has asked the news broadcasters association, association of radio operators, community radio association apart from the public broadcaster, Doordarshan to air programmes in the run up to the June 21 event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who led the celebrations by joining in the Yoga practice at Rajpath in the Capital last year is expected to participate in the event in Chandigarh this year.

While the event itself is widely covered, the ministry is keen to promote the international affair.

In a communiqué the ministry has said: “The forthcoming June 21 will be the second International Yoga Day and hence, it will hold special significance for India, particularly when the genesis of practice of Yoga is associated with our country and several initiatives have been taken by institutions, both public and private, to promote the cause.”

A similar exercise was carried out last year as well; when senior I&B ministry officials held discussions with private broadcasters to ensure wall-to-wall coverage that the international event that has put Yoga on the global map.