Practitioners highlight health benefits as awareness and participation grow
Hyderabad: In the next few days, the world will celebrate International Yoga Day, which contributed to the wider spread of the ancient Indian discipline aimed at the physical and mental wellness of humans. On June 21, yoga practitioners will gather to perform exercises as a group at public places, including Parade Grounds in Hyderabad, to celebrate the day.
Several people claim that performing yoga asanas regularly has helped them to improve their health. “During Covid lockdown, I used to take many medicines for various health issues such as bronchitis, fatty liver and high blood pressure. However, after I started practising yoga, my life has changed significantly,” said Grace Nirmala Rani, a yoga instructor.
“I feel healthier, fitter, and more energetic. I no longer struggle with health problems as I did before. Yoga has helped me improve my overall well-being and maintain a positive lifestyle.”
Now she has become a yoga teacher for corporate employees. “I am training several people who work for companies; they come with stress-related issues. Most of them have severe neck pain and shoulder discomfort.”
She added, “Yoga is all about a peaceful mind and good health. It is not about any religion; it is a practice that helps improve our physical and mental well-being.”
Balraj Nune of the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga and BJP central coordinator (Telangana) said yoga got international recognition after India’s proposal was adopted at the United Nations. “The credit for taking yoga to the global stage should go to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While addressing the United Nations General Assembly in 2014, he proposed the idea of observing an International Day of Yoga. The proposal received unprecedented support from countries across the world, and the United Nations declared June 21 as the International Yoga Day,” he recalled.
Ravindra Kapadia, the director of Gandhi Gyan Mandir in Koti, said participation has increased over the years. “Earlier, there was not much awareness of yoga in the general public; later, as awareness of health grew, yoga gained wider acceptance. ”
Dr Ravi Kumar, an AYUSH yoga instructor who trains children in bastis and community centres, said younger participants help spread the practice. “Youngsters who show a lot of interest once they are trained. They are the little ambassadors of yoga, they take this practice home, and elders too often join in.”
