London: Over 700 Attend Indian High Commission's Yoga Event

London: Over 700 Attend Indian High Commission's Yoga Event In Trafalgar Square

by Hemanta Pande

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Since 2015, the International Day of Yoga is celebrated across the world annually on June 21, following its adoption by the United Nations in 2014.

London, June 16: Ahead of International Yoga Day, the High Commission of India in the United Kingdom organised a yoga event at Trafalgar Square which witnessed the significant participation of more than 700 enthusiastic people.

Since 2015, the International Day of Yoga is celebrated across the world annually on June 21, following its adoption by the United Nations in 2014.

While speaking to ANI, the Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami said, "It was a great pleasure to be able to have well over 700 people here in this central spot in London. With the iconic statues all around it. And of course, to have multiple yoga schools come here and lead us in the practice of yoga."

Further, he also emphasized that in London, diverse communities participated, "exemplifying the point that our Prime Minister has said, that yoga unites everybody and that yoga is for everybody."

In response to a question, about what's different this year, the Indian envoy Doraiswami highlighted that this year, there were more participants, additional yoga schools involved, and a greater diversity of communities present.

However, the main focus remains on continuing yoga's role in healing and personal growth, rather than aiming for differences in participation.

"Different in the sense that we had even more people up here, we've had more yoga schools join us and we've had in a sense a bigger diversity of communities here," Doraiswami said on Saturday.

"But the idea wasn't to be different, the idea was to be, to take through the continuity of yoga as a means of healing and as a means of growing," he added.

Further, a UK citizen Inderpal Ohri Chandel also spoke with ANI and highlighted that the theme for this year is 'women's empowerment' adding that she also emphasized the significance of yoga for Indians and Asians, considering it a vital part of their heritage that fosters cultural connection and importance.

"The whole purpose of this is women's empowerment, that's the theme for this year. And of course, yoga is extremely important for us as Indians, as Asians. It is a part of our heritage and it is very important for us to stay connected with it," she said.

"The big thing is that today the members of the Indian Cricket Deaf Team have also come here because their matches will be with Great Britain," she added.

During the event the co-founder of Indian Diaspora in the UK, Hitesh Gupta also spoke with ANI and said, "You can see lots and lots of people are here from our group. Around 100 plus people have joined in today to celebrate the yoga." (ANI)

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Tension at Bengal’s Birati Station after woman caught with child hidden in bag

by Utkalika Mohanty

Kolkata, June 26: There was a tense situation at Birati Railway Station in North 24 Parganas District of West Bengal after a woman was caught with a child hidden in her bag.

Residents of the area and passengers accused the woman of kidnapping the kid.

Passengers said that they noticed the child hidden in the woman's bag on a local train going to Sealdah from Dattapukur under Bangaon Division of North 24 Parganas.

The passengers nabbed the woman and handed her and the child over to the Railway police after the train reached Birati Station.

Passengers told the police and the media that the body language of the woman was suspicious.

Their suspicion mounted further as she refused to answer the questions of passengers travelling in the women’s compartment and tried to move away.

“As the train reached Birati Station, she tried to escape, leaving the child behind. But we overpowered her and handed her over to the Railway police,” said a passenger.

However, the matter did not end there as people started protesting, demanding a thorough probe into the matter and some of them even blocked the railway tracks, leading to a commotion.

However, after police intervention, the people withdrew their protest and at the time of filing of the report, the situation had turned normal.

--IANS

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RBI Chief sees India on path to steady 8 pc GDP growth

by Utkalika Mohanty

Mumbai, June 26: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das sees India moving ahead towards an 8 per cent GDP growth trajectory on a sustained basis, driven by structural economic reforms such as GST.

"If you look at the average growth India recorded over the three years, the average comes to 8.3 per cent and the current year we have given a projection of 7.2 per cent growth," Das said at the 188th AGM (Annual General Meeting) of Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

India's growth momentum remains strong and could improve further in the coming months. The country was on a path to achieving 8 per cent growth on a sustained basis, he added.

The RBI Governor also said there was clear evidence of private sector capital expenditure having picked up momentum, which should help growth further.

He also highlighted India’s contribution to global growth amid the worldwide economic slowdown.

“The Indian economy in the last financial year 2023-24 contributed to 18.5 per cent of the global growth, i.e., 18.5 per cent of the global growth was driven by India. It is an achievement as it was much lower 7 or 8 years ago and I think the IMF projects this growth to go up,” he said.

He said that the major drivers of this growth are the implementation of GST, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, and Flexible Inflation Targeting.

"GST has the advantage of avoiding the multiplicity of taxes. It is one of India's biggest structural reforms since 1947," he remarked.

GST collections have touched 1.7 lakh crore in a month and it is in a range of 1.5 to 1.7 lakh crore every month, he added.

He also highlighted the fact that India is poised to become the third-largest economy in the world from its current position as the fifth-largest.

--IANS

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17th Lok Sabha Will Be Considered Golden Period In Parliamentary History: PM Modi

by Shambhu Datta Mishra

New Delhi, June 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday extended his wishes to Om Birla for being elected as the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha and said that it is a huge responsibility to sit in this post for the second time during the Amrit Kaal.

PM Modi also asserted that the decision taken in the 17th Lok Sabha under the presidency of Om Birla will be considered a golden period in parliamentary history.

"Respected Speaker, it is the good fortune of the House that you are occupying this chair for the second time. I congratulate you and the entire House. I want to congratulate you on behalf of the House. It is a huge responsibility for you to sit on this post for the second time during the Amrit Kaal. With your experience, we hope that you will guide us for the next 5 years. 'Aapke chehre par yeh meethi meethi muskaan poore Sadan ko prasann rakhti hai'," he said.

"Becoming the Speaker for the second time is a record in itself. Balram Jakhar got the opportunity to serve as the Speaker for the second term after competing for five years and today you are doing the same. The way you work as an MP is worth learning. Your style will inspire our young MPs," PM Modi added.

Further, the Prime Minister said that the 17th Lok Sabha has played an important role in giving direction to the future of India.

"The historical decisions taken in the Parliament under your chairmanship are a legacy of the Parliament and also of you. In future when there will be analysis regarding the 17th Lok Sabha, it will be written that the 17th Lok Sabha under your chairmanship has played a very important role in giving a new direction to the future of India," PM Modi said.

"In the 17th Lok Sabha, Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023, Jammu and Kashmir reorganization act, Bharatiya Nyaye Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, Samajik Suraksha Sanhita, Digital personal data protection bill, Muslim Women Marriage Rights Protection Bill, Consumer protection bill, direct tax, so many such important laws have been passed in this House during your presidency, which have laid the strong foundation of the country," the Prime Minister added.

PM Modi also pointed out that under Birla's guidance, the productivity of the 17th Lok Sabha has been the highest in 25 years at 97 per cent.

"For this, you deserve special congratulations. During Corona, you called every MP and enquired about their well-being. Even during that time, you did not let the work of the house stop. During the Corona period, the productivity of the crop increased by 170 per cent. This is very big news for the world," he said.

The house echoed with 'Ayes' and 'Noes' and the pro-tem speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab declared Om Birla as the Speaker of the lower house. The opposition which had filed K Suresh as the Speaker candidate of the INDIA bloc did not press for a division vote.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also extended wishes to Birla and accompanied him to the chair along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and PM Modi.

(ANI)

London: Over 700 Attend Indian High Commission's Yoga Event

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