Hyderabad yoga event enters record books with turnout of 3,000 PwDs

Hyderabad: A mass yoga event here in which as many as 3,000 persons with disabilities from across the country participated has secured recognition from several 'Books of Records' on Wednesday, the organisers said. Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar attended the event organised on International Yoga Day.

This creates (records in the) International World Book of Records, Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records for the maximum number of Divyangjan performing mass yoga," an official release said.

For the first time, 20,000 persons with disabilities took place in yoga events across the country at various locations, while 3,000 persons of them took part in the event in Hyderabad alone, an official release said. The 3,000 people included those with visual impairment, hearing impairment, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and autism.

The event was organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in coordination with National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID), Secunderabad at the Kanha Wellness Centre here, it said.

The release quoted Virendra Kumar as saying that it was overwhelming to see 3,000 'Divyangjan' performing yoga under one roof with so much enthusiasm and zeal. Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment A Narayanaswamy also attended the event.

"This mega event has been evaluated by the concerned authorities and the Department has bagged three records by International World Book of Records, Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records for the maximum number of Divyangjan performing yoga," the release added.

Meanwhile, International Yoga Day was celebrated at various other places in the state. Telangana Sports Minister V Srinivas Goud participated in Yoga Day celebrations at Mahabubnagar, and State Health Minister T Harish Rao was present at another of the events, while State BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar participated in a Yoga Day programme at Ghatkesar here. Yoga Day was also celebrated at the state BJP headquarters in the city