CM opens Ayurvedic kitchen, promotes millets, healthy living

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday inaugurated Soma – The Ayurvedic Kitchen at Maharishi Ayurveda Hospital in Shalimar Bagh. The CM emphasised the need to reconnect with India’s Ayurvedic roots and adopt a balanced, health-focused lifestyle.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister announced that, for the first time, the Delhi Government will organise large-scale celebrations on International Yoga Day (June 21). Yoga sessions will be held simultaneously at 11 prominent locations across the city. The Chief Minister will herself participate in a session on the banks of the Yamuna.

She expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for championing yoga on the global stage, noting that seeing the world celebrate Yoga Day is a matter of pride for every Indian. “Our traditional systems like yoga and Ayurveda, preserved through scriptures and generations, are not only effective but come with no side effects,” she said.

Hailing Delhi as an emerging centre for Ayurvedic treatment, the CM appreciated institutions such as the All India Institute of Ayurveda and other public and private Ayurvedic hospitals for preserving and advancing India’s ancient wisdom. “It is time for researchers, doctors and institutions to carry this legacy forward with full government support,” she added.

In a veiled criticism of previous regimes, the CM said yoga was earlier viewed through a political lens. “But today, yoga is being embraced as a cultural, spiritual and wellness movement by a people-centric government,” she stated. She described yoga as more than a fitness practice — calling it Indian philosophy in motion and the art of balanced living.

Praising Soma Kitchen, the CM shared how a viral Instagram reel, showcasing millet-based dishes, inspired her visit. She commended the kitchen for preparing meals using millets and traditional grains, describing them as both tasty and nutritious. “Millets were once a staple in Indian homes. Ironically, the same grains are now seen as ‘superfoods’ only after being repackaged abroad,” she remarked.

Highlighting the Centre’s efforts to promote millets nationally and globally, she credited Prime Minister Modi for reviving interest in these ancient grains. Recalling his message —“Reduce oil in food by 10 per cent”— she underscored that fitness is no longer a personal goal, but a collective responsibility toward one’s family, society and nation.

Delhi