lucknow

Updated: Jun 22, 2017 15:32 IST

It was memorable moment for around 125 jail inmates of Model Jail, Gosaiganj who performed yoga to mark International Yoga Day and the event was telecasted live at a screen before Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he performed yoga at Ramabai Ambedkar ground here in the state capital on Wednesday.

“It’s a big day for us, as we never thought that Modi ji will see us perform yoga live,” a jail inmate said as he was told that the yoga session would be telecast before PM Modi.

The yoga session started at around 7am—the same time when the PM began performing yoga at the Ambedkar ground. Since it started raining heavily, the yoga session was carried out at an auditorium. “Initially we had planned to carry out the session at the jail lawn. But after it rained, we decided to go for indoor auditorium,” said Ambrish Gaur, senior superintendent (jail), Model Jail, Gosai Ganj.

In the yoga session, around 125 jail inmates participated. Jail administration said, since the capacity of the auditorium was low, only 125 inmates could take part in the event. “We had plans for 350 jail inmates but rain played the spoilsport,” said Gaur.

Gaur said, it was for the first time in the history that any activity of the jail inmates have been telecast live and that too before the PM. Model Jail’s history goes back to British era, when it used to be a central jail. But after 1949 it was declared as ‘Model Jail’.

Jail superintendent said the jail inmates have been regularly performing yoga since its inception and it is a part of their daily routine. He said, the initiative has motivated them.