Emphasising that yoga does not discriminate, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said he discovered the "simple sense of satisfaction" it brings when he tried his first "asana" during his visit to India.

In his message for the first International Day of Yoga to be observed on June 21, Ban recalled that it took him a while to gain his balance when he tried yoga for the first time in New Delhi during his visit in January but soon realised it can be done by anyone. "And yoga does not discriminate; to varying degrees, all people can practise, regardless of their relative strength, age or ability. I discovered this for myself on trying to do my first asana, a tree pose suited to beginners. It took a moment for me to gain my balance, but once I did, I appreciated the simple sense of satisfaction that yoga can bring," the UN chief said in the message. He said during his visit to India, he had the opportunity to practise yoga with one of his senior advisers. Ban's adviser on Myanmar, veteran Indian diplomat Vijay Nambiar had given the UN chief his fist yoga lesson as a preparation for the International Day of Yoga. The UN spokesperson had also tweeted a photo of Ban trying to imitate Nambiar while doing his first yoga asana.