Yoga is a scientific tool for total health, says Dr MM Joshi
Describing yoga as “a scientific tool” that helps achieve balance of bodily, mental and emotional functions, former Union Minister Dr Murli Manohar Joshi has called for embracing India’s ancient wellness traditions to build healthier individuals and societies.
He was speaking at the International Day of Yoga 2026 celebrations organised by the Illness to Wellness Foundation in the national Capital.
Held on the theme “Yoga for Healthy Ageing,” the event brought together distinguished delegates, diplomats, ambassadors from various countries, corporate leaders, wellness practitioners, healthcare advocates and yoga enthusiasts to celebrate yoga as a holistic approach to preventive healthcare and healthy living.
The programme focused on the growing need to shift from illness-centric healthcare towards wellness-oriented lifestyles as societies across the world grapple with rising lifestyle disorders, stress, chronic diseases and rapidly ageing populations.
“Yoga is not a religion, a political movement, or dogma. It is a way of bringing harmony within diversity. It respects all cultures, creeds and nations. Yoga is a scientific tool, pleasant and enjoyable, which can help achieve balance of bodily, mental and emotional functions. If practised conscientiously, it uplifts the mind and emotions, raises consciousness and brings us into harmony with the whole of nature,” Joshi said.
Addressing the occasion, Anil Rajput, Chairperson, Advisory Council, Illness to Wellness Foundation, emphasised that healthy ageing is no longer merely a healthcare objective but a societal imperative that requires a shift towards prevention, awareness and sustainable lifestyle choices.
Adding a practical dimension to the celebration, participants took part in a power-packed yoga session on the lawns of ITC Maurya led by Dr Tanu Singh, Founder, LifeYoga, who guided attendees through a series of asanas, breathing techniques and movements designed to improve strength, flexibility, posture and overall vitality.