Ramdev, Chidanand to teach UN officials yoga

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, December 12

After the United Nations declaring June 21 as International Yoga Day, in the coming days, one may see United Nations officials and ambassadors of various countries practicing yoga. Indeed, that could well be a reality soon if the vision of two champions of yoga, Ramdev of Haridwar and Rishikesh-based Chidanand is any indication.

Both Ramdev and Chidanand have played a significant role in popularising yoga globally.

They said declaration of June 21 as International Day of Yoga has proved that popularity and acknowledgement of utility of yoga is pan-India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s declaration in this connection has been accepted by 175 countries.

“For ages, our seers and saints have been practicing yoga and ayurveda. The United Nations’ acceptance of India’s proposal to name a day of the year as International Day of Yoga is laudable. Now, we will reach out to the entire world with yoga. India is on the path to becoming a superpower and without good health, which yoga provides without any side-effects, one can’t achieve this target,” said Ramdev.

Calling for better infrastructure in Uttarakhand, Swami Chidanand Muni said the state is yoga capital of India and now, that of the world. Thus, the government should make efforts to ensure the state benefits from the growing popularity of yoga worldwide, he stated.

“Yoga improves both mental and physical health. Uttarakhand needs to utilise this opportunity to make it a world yoga capital. We can then align global yoga tourists coming to Uttarakhand to natural, eco, tourist, ancient, shrines, sacred Ganga, Himalayas and other aspects of tourism, which will strengthen the state’s economy,” said Chidanand.

The seer also cited annual organising of the International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan Rishikesh, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Global Shantikunj Gayatri Parivar and other venues as proven examples that participants from around the world are keen to learn yoga.

He said yoga will break misconceptions surrounding India in the west and become a major financial contributor to the Indian exchequer.

Citing 10,000 yoga training studios in the United States, Chidanand said these are basic learning centres, while India can provide assistance to these studios too.

Both Ramdev and Chidanand mooted incorporation of yoga in basic education curriculum of the Uttarakhand Education Board.