Yoga has now become a global good, which promises unflinching support to further good health and wellness across the globe
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to celebrate the International Day of Yoga at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) with its president Csaba Korosi, making this heavenly practice truly a global movement. The same UNGA had declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in 2014, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fervent call. At the UN headquarters, the excited group of Yoga practitioners would also include top leaders, intellectuals, diplomats and officials from several countries. This shows the pace at which Yoga is receiving acceptance all across the globe, and fast acquiring a greater proportion of India’s soft power, as Yoga goes much beyond the constraints of age, gender, caste, community, religion and nation, making it the biggest mass movement in the quest for good health and well-being.
It was because of the rising influence of India at the international level under PM Modi that 193 members of the UNGA and 173 co-sponsor countries unanimously approved the resolution of the United Nations in which the establishment of 21st June as the International Day of Yoga was passed. The UNGA agreed that Yoga offers a holistic approach to health and well-being. It also said in its resolution that the widespread promotion of the benefits of practising Yoga is necessary for the global population’s health. It also added that Yoga brings about harmony in all areas of life and is known for its significant role in preventing diseases, promoting health and treating many disorders related to lifestyle. Since 21st June 2015, the International Day of Yoga is celebrated across the globe through various activities and programmes.
Without a doubt, Yoga has now become a global good, which promises unflinching support to further good health and wellness across the globe amid the most challenging times for the global health infrastructure.
Now, Yoga is being practiced in more than 100 countries and all accept it as an act that brings about harmony between the body and the mind, besides finding solutions to a myriad of health issues. It is needed not just for physical power and well-being, but also for mental balance and emotional stability. Yoga is seen as something which prepares people to meet modern life challenges successfully. Both the young and the old can practice these without any trouble. It is based on yogic traditions and various techniques based on scientific knowledge. Hence, the number of foreign tourists coming to India for Yoga training has increased significantly since 2015.
The emergence of Yoga as a remedy to all kinds of physical, psychological and mental issues, has made it an important public health movement throughout the world. The role of Yoga in public health policies and behaviour also has significantly increased.
Yoga is being seen as an invaluable gift of the ancient Indian tradition to the world as it embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action, restraint and fulfilment, harmony between man and nature and a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not just an exercise, but a spiritual journey to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature.
The steps taken by the Modi government to add Yoga and other Ayush systems of health to public health programs are forward-looking and progressive. Earlier, Yoga was not well recognised as a healthcare system even in official documents but only as a therapy. But, the situation started changing when the Modi government changed the government’s thinking and approach towards the role of Yoga and its relevance in public health. The first significant sign of the change occurred on 9th November 2014 when a dedicated Ministry of Ayush was created and now Yoga has become a part of this ministry.
Since 2014 Yoga has received tremendous encouragement under the brilliant leadership of PM Modi. The National Yoga and Naturopathy Promotion and Development Board was set up in February 2016 by the Ministry of Ayush to advise the ministry on various programmes for the development of yoga.
To improve the quality of Yoga training for the people, the certification of Yoga professionals and the verification of Yoga organizations were recognised by the ministry. All the reforms for bringing yoga into the mainstream are being integrated and included in the International Day of Yoga. Yoga is now increasingly used in hospitals of all disciplines for the management and treatment of both physical and mental diseases.
The acceptance of Yoga as therapeutic support for health and treatment of lifestyle-related issues is now well-established because, during the last nine years, the increase in research publications on Yoga as an experimental clinical therapy has been tenfold. During the period Yoga-based clinical trials have also increased eight times, and interestingly most of these cases were those where participants had come from foreign countries. Without a doubt, this day sends out the message of universal brotherhood. It is the day of the oneness of humanness, which brings us together by narrowing down distances of all kinds. The world is now realizing the importance of Yoga even more due to the Coronavirus pandemic, as it improves our immunity to fight effectively any kind of viral attack or disease. Now, we need to be further aware of the benefits of Yoga, which is one of the greatest symbols of India’s rich cultural heritage and encourage the entire mankind to adopt it as a part of their daily lives.
(Writer is a Member of Parliament, & Chairman, of the Parliamentary committee on the welfare of SC/ST. He is also an eminent surgeon. Views are personal)
