(Image source from: Tribune India)

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on Thursday performed yoga with over 50,000 enthusiasts at the Forest Research Institute campus in Dehradun.

He said that the ancient Indian discipline has emerged as the most powerful unifying force in a strife-torn world.

Addressing the sizable assemblage in the backdrop of the iconic British-era building of FRI, Modi said yoga has shown the world the way from "illness to wellness" and improving lives across the world.

He said in point of fact yoga has become the biggest mass movement across the globe in the pursuit of good health and wellbeing, which is critical to the creation of a peaceful world.

"Dehradun to Dublin, Shanghai to Chicago, Jakarta to Johannesburg, Himalayan highlands or sunburnt deserts, Yoga is enriching millions of lives all over the world," he added.

Prime minister said, "Yoga fosters amity in societies which can form the basis of national unity. The proposal for the Yoga Day at the UN was accepted in record time with a majority of nations supporting it."

He said Nowadays people all over the universe have come to look upon yoga as something which belongs to them.

He besides asked people to learn to honor their own bequest and heritage if they wanted the rest of the world to honor them.

"If we don't take pride in our own legacy and heritage no one else will. We should not hesitate in honoring the gems of our own heritage. The way to lead a calm, creative and content life was Yoga. In Yoga, we have the perfect solution to the problems we face, either as individuals or in our society," the prime minister said.

"Rather dividing, yoga unites. Instead of further hostility, yoga assimilates. Instead of increasing suffering, yoga heals," he said.

He said yoga presents a ray of hope for approaching of the world. "Yoga is beautiful because it is ancient yet modern, it is constant yet evolving," he said.

"India's legacy of which yoga is a significant part is unique and rich. We must take pride in it," the prime minister said, adding that it has the power to advance universal brotherhood as it unites and assimilates instead of dividing.

"From Tokyo to Toronto from Stockholm to Sao Paulo yoga has become a positive influence in the lives of millions," Modi said.

He asked people to embrace yoga not just for a healthy but happy and peaceful life.

The thriving popularity of yoga across the world has brought India closer to the world and this position is going to get reinforced in times to come, he said.

The prime minister had arrived at Dehradun last night to participate in the chief event on the International Yoga Day.

Careful security arrangements were made and about 3,000 security personnel deployed in and around the venue.

Modi arrived at the FRI at around 6.30 am and addressed the people before performing asanas with them.

Earlier, in 2015 the prime minister had participated in yoga celebrations at New Delhi, in 2016 at Chandigarh, and at Lucknow in 2017.

By Sowmya Sangam