Beijing:20/6/21: In China, 7th International Day of Yoga was celebrated at Indian Embassy in Beijing with great fervor today. More than 500 people including many Chinese yoga enthusiasts and diplomats gathered at India House to participate in the event.
The yoga session including the common yoga protocol and advanced yoga demonstration was led by one of the first Indian yoga gurus in China, Mohan Bhandari. Many other Indian yoga gurus Hemanth Kumar, Sohan Singh, N K Singh, and Ashish Bahuguna also participated in the event.
India’s Ambassador Vikram Misri in his brief remarks on the occasion noted the importance of yoga practice for the holistic health of every individual, especially in the time of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Misri who himself is an avid yoga practitioner noted that the central purpose of the physical aspects of Yoga is to prepare the mind for meditation.
He also complimented the Director of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre of the Embassy of India, for undertaking a series of Yoga outreach events. He announced that in the coming days, it will be expanding its activities by taking up the important task of certification of Yoga professionals for the purposes of training. More details will be made available by the Centre in the coming days, he added.
Ambassadors also felicitated the yoga gurus and the winners of the audio and video competition which saw huge participation by Chinese nationals. Indian Consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou are also organizing many yoga events to promote the values of India’s ancient tradition of Yoga.
The theme for International Yoga Day 2021 is ‘Yoga for wellness’. With the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating psychological suffering and mental health problems, many people have been embracing Yoga to stay healthy and to fight isolation and depression.
International Day of Yoga has been celebrated globally on 21st June since 2015 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, proposed this idea.