Final decision to be taken at New Delhi in consultation with Prime Minister’s Office

Mysore/Mysuru: Senior officers from the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, visited Mysuru this morning and held a closed-door meeting with the top officers of the District at the DC’s Office and discussed the possibility of holding the main International Day of Yoga (IDY)-2022 event in Mysuru, on June 21.

They later visited Mysore Palace, Karnataka Exhibition Grounds and proceeded to the Mysore Race Course.

Inspecting the entire venues and asking for site maps, the officials examined the area, extent, facilities, entrance and exits, security, parking, transportation, nearby accommodation and also the likely weather in June.

The visit comes in the wake of Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha and Uttara Kannada MP Ananth Kumar Hegde urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi  to attend the IDY-2022 main event in Mysuru on June 21. As it has been a practice, the PM attends the main IDY event (mass Yoga demonstration) from 7 am to 8 am and this time, the inclination is on choosing Mysuru as the main event venue.

The officers team was led by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, New Delhi. Others in the team were Kavita Garg, Joint Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH and Ramachandra, Commissioner, AYUSH.

They held discussions with the District Administration authorities including DC Dr. Bagadi Gautham, senior officials from Ayush, Police and Deputy Director of Mysore Palace Board T.S. Subramanya.

The media was not allowed to the meeting. This IDY (eighth in a series) will be a grand affair as it is being held after two years of virtual events and this year’s celebrations coincide with Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Sources told Star of Mysore that the final decision on the venue will be taken by the officers in New Delhi in consultation with the Prime Minister’s Office that will have a final say in PM Modi’s visit and security clearance.

As it will be a large gathering in case the PMO confirms the visit, the sprawling 139.30-acre  Mysore Race Course is likely to be a preferred venue.

The Race Course can accommodate a large gathering nearing a lakh or so and moreover it has good access roads and not congested. The PMO will prefer such a venue where a security blanket can be thrown on, sources added.