Yoga acts as a bridge between India and China: Bambawale

Beijing, June 21

Yoga has now become a bridge between India and China to bring the people of the two countries together, Indian envoy Gautam Bambawale said on Thursday as he along with a large number of Chinese yoga enthusiasts participated in a colourful yoga event here on the fourth International Yoga Day.

Bambawale, other diplomats, staff of the Embassy, yoga teachers and students of China’s Yogi Yoga centre took part in the event. Over 500 yoga lovers turned up to take part in over an-hour-long special yoga workout on the old Indian Embassy premises.

Every year, a large number of people participate in Yoga Day events in China since the UN General Assembly declared June 21 as International Day of Yoga.

“I would say tens of thousands took part in China. But millions will be doing yoga in their way either individually or in smaller groups,” Bambawale said.

The day is celebrated in 25 to 30 cities in different parts of China with larger turnouts, he said.

“Delighted that yoga has become so popular in China. It helps in providing a bridge between India and China and bringing people of the two countries together,” he said.

“We always stressed that apart from government-to-government ties, people-to-people relations, friendship between people are important to strengthen India-China relations. Yoga is exactly doing that,” he said.

“It shows how yoga is spread widely in China. The reason is not because of anything else but because ordinary people in China like other parts of the world are beginning to realise that yoga is contributing to making their lives successful both at the personal and professional level. It is an undeniable fact,” he said.

The popularity of yoga is going to increase not only in India but also in China, he said. PTI