Thousands to join Yoga Day events across southern US

Thousands of people are expected to participate in more than 30 events across the southern US to mark the International Day of Yoga, organised by the Consulate General of India in Houston and partner organisations, this weekend. This year’s events are focused on expanding outreach to cover underserved communities through Spanish-language yoga sessions, adaptive chair yoga for seniors and neighbourhood-based programmes designed to make participation easier and more inclusive, according to organisers. The theme for this year’s event is “yoga for healthy ageing.” This year, we want to inspire participants of all ages-from young children to seniors-to embrace a proactive approach to lifelong health and well-being,” Consul General D C Manjunath said. “We have built a decentralised framework to bring yoga directly to everyone’s neighbourhood,” said Consul Prashant K Sona, Head of Chancery at the Houston Consulate. Medical experts involved in the initiative said the expanding reach of yoga reflects its growing role in preventive healthcare.

“Yoga therapy is a highly adaptable, evidence-informed practice that supports physical, emotional and mental well-being,” said Smitha Mallaiah, Senior Mind-Body Intervention Specialist at MD Anderson Cancer Centre. A local Texan participant, Maria Gonzalez, said the programme has made yoga more approachable for families,” she said.