Over 50,000 ITBP personnel perform Yoga at 19,000 feet in sub-zero temperature locations

New Delhi [India], June 21 (ANI): More than 50,000 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel, known as 'Himveers', performed Yoga on the occasion of the 8th International Yoga Day on Tuesday in sub-zero temperature locations in the high altitude regions of Himalayas up to 19,000 feet starting from Arunachal Pradesh to Ladakh.
The 'Himveers' practised Yoga on the theme of 'Yoga For Humanity' along with the Sun's movement starting from Arunachal Pradesh to Ladakh.
The ITBP troops also enthusiastically practised Yoga at Border Out Posts of the force located on the India-China Borders in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
ITBP Director General Sanjay Arora also practised Yoga with jawans in Ladakh.
At places, the Yoga sessions were jointly participated by the personnel of the units of the force located in border areas and in Chhattisgarh alongwith women personnel and families.
ITBP personnel participated in yoga exercises at the morning sessions on Tuesday, which also include places in Ladakh and Sikkim at altitudes ranging upto 19,000 feet and sub-zero temperatures.
"Yoga was practised by ITBP jawans in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh in all the border units in snow, high altitude conditions and also in the rugged rain forests and river banks of Arunachal Pradesh," the ITBP said.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the force said, a Yoga program with horses was also organized at the force's Animal Transport School, Lohitpur, as well as the soldiers, practised yoga in Left Wing Extremism hit areas of Chhattisgarh.
The ITBP said it has taken many initiatives to promote Yoga by performing yoga asanas at top mountain ridges in the higher reaches of the Himalayas.
The ITBP personnel have been exemplary in promoting Yoga by demonstrating Surya Namaskar and various other yoga asanas at different high-altitude Himalayan ranges on India-China borders including Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in different kinds of mountainous terrains. On June 2 this year, the ITBP made a unique record by doing Yoga at 22,850 feet near Mt Abi Gamin in Uttarakhand. (ANI)