Amaravati,  President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday visited the Satsang Foundation Ashram at Madanapalle in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. He interacted with the foundation's leader and educationist Sri M.

President Kovind, who reached Madanapalle by helicopter from Bengaluru, was received by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, his Cabinet colleagues and senior officials.

He then visited Satsang Foundation Ashram which was founded in 1994 on the principles of service and community welfare.

The foundation has been contributing towards the all-round and holistic improvement of society through its initiatives in the education, health and environment fields.

The President spent time with spiritual leader Sri M. at the Sri Guru Babaji's shrine. He later inaugurated a Yogashala of the Bharat Yoga Vidya Kendra and interacted with the students of the first Yoga teacher training programme being held at the premises.

He appreciated the fact that students had come to Madanapalle from all corners of the country for the course.

Kovind remarked that when he heard about Sri M., he requested him to teach Kriya Yoga and found that it was a comprehensive and holistic discipline for the elevation of the mind as well as to keep physically fit. He said Yoga would always be of great help in meeting the daily challenges of life in all spheres.

The President also said that the most important aspect of learning Yoga was creating a healthy mind in a healthy body as well as being able to explore deeper aspects of consciousness.

During the walking tour of the ashram, the President attended the 'Aarti' at the temple on the premises and planted a tree.

He later unveiled the foundation stone of Swaasthya Hospitals, an initiative of the Satsang Foundation. Sri M. has conceptualised this 38-bed hospital to provide affordable and quality health care to the semi-urban and rural population of Madanapalle including students, staff, family members, and Sugali tribal community from nearby villages.

The President interacted with the students and teachers of the Satsang Vidyalaya - a free school which has been providing holistic development, high quality education, nutrition, and health care services to the children of marginalised communities in Madanapalle since 1991.

After partaking a south Indian meal prepared in-house by the Satsang kitchens, the President departed for Sadum mandal in the same district to visit and address the students and teachers of The Peepal Grove School. The co-educational, residential and alternative school was founded by Sri M. and inaugurated by then President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in December 2006.