5th International Day of Yoga celebrated at IIT Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar:21/6/19: The 5^th International Yoga Day was celebrated on 21st June 2019, Wednesday at IIT Bhubaneswar with great enthusiasm and vigour. It was a three day program which commenced from 19^th June, 2019 at the permanent Campus. Prof. R.V. Raja Kumar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar with students, faculty, officers, staff and their family members actively participated in the event. The theme for this year’s International Yoga Day is ‘Yoga for Harmony, Peace and Progress ‘.

All the participants, and Yoga teachers assembled in the earmarked area at 6:30 am itself so as to ensure that the practice session is conducted in the most conducive manner even for the novice participant. The Yoga teacher initially briefed about the essence of Yogic exercises on the health of individuals and thereafter, held a long practice session. The participants were introduced to Yogasanas, Kapalbhati, Pranayama, Dhyna, Sankalpa and Meditation, as per the common protocol issued by Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India.

Prof. R.V. Raja Kumar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar addressed the gathering about the benefits of practicing yoga in everyday life and highlighted the potential and benefits of customization to suit every individual.  He mentioned that at IIT Bhubaneswar, Yoga has been made a compulsory part of the undergraduate program. He also emphasized that Yoga is a great stress reliever for healthy rhythm of mental and physical activity. He stressed on the fact that yoga brings healthy rhythm in body and mind including thinking and explained how the daily practice perpetually benefits to reduce stress at work for a healthy body and mind. He shared his experience & wisdom about his decade’s long Yoga practice. He also credited the Honourable Prime Minister of India for popularizing the concept of Yoga across the globe by proposing the concept of International Yoga Day during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, on 27^th September 2014. He also made a special mention of Yoga Guru Ramdev Baba, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Art of Living and other spiritual gurus for popularizing the concept of Yoga among the masses.

Mr. Satya Ranjan Sahoo was the Chief Guest of the event and he gave an interesting talk during the session along with practical live session on breathing techniques and meditation where the entire audience participated. Also present at the event were Col (Dr) Subodh Kumar, Registrar, IIT Bhubaneswar. The programme was coordinated by Dr. Srikant Gollapudi and Dr. Bankim Chandra Mandal with active support from Prof. V.R. Pedireddi, Dean, Student Affairs & Dr. Sankarsan Mohapatro, President Students’ Gymkhana, IIT Bhubaneswar.

The Yoga session started with the systematic practice of different “ASANAS” of standing, sitting and laying positions (both lying on back and reverse) smoothly changing in succession under the instructions of Yoga teacher and supervision of trained volunteers. During the course of “Yogabhyas”, the Yoga teacher also narrated the usefulness of different “Asanas” as a precautionary measure, in curing many diseases and the usefulness of Yoga in the overall wellbeing of a human being. The entire “YOGABHYAS” lasted for an hour and ended at 8 am with a “Sanskrit Shloka” and Oath by all the participants that they will continue to practice Yoga for keeping their Body and mind in healthy, stress-free and cheerful condition.

As Krishna said in the Bhagvad Gita, “Samatvam Yoga Ucyate” – equanimity in the individual is a sign of yoga.