International Yoga Day celebrated with gusto in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): The ninth International Yoga Day was celebrated with great fanfare in many parts of Karnataka on Wednesday.
Thousands of people took part in the event aimed at promoting good health with sound mind. The theme of Yoga Day this year is Yoga Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'.
The main event took place on the grand steps of the imposing Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru where Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Karnataka Assembly Speaker U T Khader and Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao took part.
Swami Vachanananda, who is famed as 'Shwasa Guru', guided the gathering to perform yoga. A large number of government employees, students and social activists took part in the morning programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Gehlot said yoga that originated in the country has been the part of Indian tradition for a very long time.
The popularity of yoga could be assessed from the fact that people across the globe are adopting it for better health.
Greeting people on the occasion of International Yoga Day, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted: "Let's practice Yoga for mental and physical health, regardless of caste, religion, creed and ideologies. Happy International Yoga Day to all."
In his message, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said yoga is the union of body and mind.
"The combination of body and mind is Yoga. Our culture, heritage lies in Yoga. Practicing Yoga everyday is a healthy lifestyle habit. Happy International Yoga Day to everyone in the state," Shivakumar tweeted.
Yoga Day was celebrated in Mysuru on the premises of the famous Mysuru Palace. The event was celebrated in various district headquarters such as Koppal, Ballari, Tumakuru, Mangaluru, Udupi, Belagavi, Bidar, Raichur, Davangere and Hubballi-Dharwad.
The Karnataka unit of BJP marked International Yoga Day with a programme at its state headquarters 'Jagannath Bhavan' in Bengaluru, the party said in a statement.
"Yoga is a valuable contribution of ancient science of India. It symbolizes the unity of mind and body. A holistic approach to health and wellness. Happy World Yoga Day to all. #YogaForVasudhaivaKutumbakam #InternationalYogaDay2023," the state unit of the party said on its Twitter handle.
In the port city of Mangaluru, International Yoga Day was celebrated at Town Hall that was inaugurated by state BJP president and Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel.
Mangaluru City mayor Jayananda Anchan, Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Mullai Muhilan, MLAs D Vedavyas Kamath and Bharath Shetty among other dignitaries attended the programme.
Students of various schools and colleges, members of yoga organisations and others performed different postures on the occasion.
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Kannada actress Ranya Rao denied bail in gold smuggling case; judicial probe ordered
Bengaluru, Mar 27 (PTI): A sessions court in Bengaluru on Thursday rejected the bail plea of Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao in the gold smuggling case.
According to the prosecution, Ranya admitted to using hawala channels to facilitate gold purchases.
In response, the authorities have issued a notice to initiate a judicial investigation, which they believe will uncover further financial irregularities.
The case also involves Tarun Raj, an aide of the actor, who has been named as the second accused.
Officials claim that Ranya handed over the smuggled gold to a merchant named Sahil Jain, who was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Wednesday. This brings the total number of arrests in the case to three.
During the hearing, DRI lawyer Madhu Rao revealed that Ranya and Raj made approximately 26 trips to Dubai together, often departing in the morning and returning the same evening. Before her arrest, the actor allegedly booked a flight ticket for Raj, who then handed over the gold to her in Dubai.
Gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from Ranya, the step-daughter of DGP rank officer K Ramachandra Rao at Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 upon her arrival from Dubai.
Following this, searches were conducted at her residence, where officials recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore.
Senior IPS officer Ramchandra Rao has also been questioned in connection with the case.
Following these developments, the Karnataka government placed him on compulsory leave on March 15, effective immediately and until further notice.
Investigators alleged that Ranya misused her stepfather’s name and exploited security protocols meant for high-ranking officials to bypass airport checks.
