The Ministry of Culture, Government of India celebrated the International Day of Yoga by organizing a drive named “Yoga An Indian Heritage” as a part of “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” campaign. The programme was conducted at 75 cultural heritage locations with the active participation of all institutions/bodies of the Ministry.
In view of this Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti organised different programmes related to the International Day of Yoga 2021 at Delhi, Champaran and Sabarmati.
• GSDS staff performs Yoga in Gandhi Darshan
Enthusiastic staff of Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti along with their children took part in the yoga session on June 21, 2021 marking the 7th International Day of Yoga in Gandhi Darshan Rajghat. The session was led by Sh. Mohit Mohan Office Supervisor (I/C).
• Tihar officers and inmates join for 7th Yoga Day celebrations
As part of the 7th International Day of Yoga and Azadi Ka Amrit Mohatsav, Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti in association with Central Prisons Tihar CJ4 organised the Yoga session conducted by Yogacharya Varun Nautiyal. Inmates of CJ-4 and the officers led by Superintendent CJ-4 Shri Rajkumar performed yoga on the occasion. Deputy Superintendent Shri Manmohan and Warder Shri Amarjeet were present on the occasion. The programme was coordinated by Dr. Manju Aggarwal.
• Yoga Day at Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad
Yoga practitioners led by Yogacharya are taking part in the 7th International Day of Yoga on June 21, 2021 at Sabarmati Ashram, organised by Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, New Delhi, in collaboration with Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust, Ahmedabad. The theme of Yoga Day this year is “Yoga An Indian Heritage”. In Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad, Ms. Varsha Joshi from Gujarat Vidyapeeth and Sh Vijay Bhai Jajal from Shivanand Yog Institute Ahmedabad led the yoga practice sessions.
• Yoga Day at Buniyadi Vidyalaya, Champaran
The 7th International Day of Yoga under the theme “Yoga An Indian Heritage” was organised at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Bettiah, West Champaran as part of the International Yoga Day celebrations in collaboration with Rajkiya Buniyadi Vidyalaya Bettiah West Champaran. Yogacharya Sh. Sashi Bhushan from Patanjali along with Ayurveda Doctor Sh. Rajkishore are leafing the yoga session on the occasion. Principal of the Navodaya Vidyalaya Sh. Manoj Kumar inaugurated the programme. Yogacharya Sh. Sashi Bhushan from Patanjali was also felicitated by Sh. Shambhu Kumar Singh senior teacher of Rajkiya Buniyadi Vidyalaya, West Champaran.
On this occasion, depicting the cultural heritage of India, Padmashri Sh. Ramchandra Manjhi and Dr. Jainendra Dost from Bhikari Thakur Rangmandal Chhapra, Bihar along with accompanists performed Rang Bidesia (रंग बिदेसिया). The cultural presentation has been facilitated by Sangeet Natak Akademy, New Delhi.
• 7th International Day of Yoga with PDGAV College (Evening) organized
Convert your life style with good diet, thought and action: Ankit Sharma
The Samiti in association with PGDAV College (Evening), Delhi University, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mohatsav, organized a lecture-cum-demo of the 7th International Day of Yoga (IYD) on June 21, 2021. Almost 140 participants took part in the programme which besides showcasing the Indian heritage also demonstrated different yoga aasanas for the benefit of the participants and others.
Dr. Mayank Pandey citied benefits of various yoga practices which was live demonstrated by Mr. Pushp, a student of the college. Dr. Pandey related how each of the aasanas helps in immunity boosting and releases toxins from the body. He specifically stressed on several types of pranayams to improve the oxygen level keeping in view the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shri Dipanker Shri Gyan, Director Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti in his welcome address focused on ‘yoga’ as an ‘Indian Heritage’, which also was the theme for 7th IYD. Calling Yoga an art and science and a 5000-year-old tradition that was even mentioned in the Vedas and Upanishads, he referred to Swami Vivekananda as one of the greatest yogis who popularized the spiritual as well as practical understanding of the benefits of yoga and how one should govern one’s life style.
In his address to the gathering, Prof. R K Gupta, Principal of the College reiterated the necessity of yoga in our daily lives and called for strengthening the bond between yoga and an individual’s daily routine for general well-being. He also thanked Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti for the association and hoped for continuing the same in the years to come.
Sharing his valuable inputs during the webinar on the benefits of yoga and how the life style of the present day youth has to be changed for their physical, mental and moral well-being, Dr. Ankit Sharma, (PhD, Yoga Science), Assistant Professor at the Swami Rama Himalayan University at Uttarakhand said, “The history of yoga is related to the early existence of human civilization, whether it is our ancient Indus Valley civilization or our world ancient Vedas. Yoga is visible everywhere.”
He added, “In the ancient times, priority was given to the concept of samadhi i.e. union of soul and soul, then in the medieval period, a lot of texts were written on its education i.e. methods of yoga practices, but in today's contemporary times, humans have taken it from the point of view of health and has given it more priority”.
Speaking on the importance of Yoga in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Ankit said that yoga can not only boost our immunity, but also provide resistance to fight the virus. “Through simple exercises of yoga, we can easily develop not only our physical but also mental abilities”, he said and emphasized, “Through the simple practice of Simhakriya as taught by Isha Foundation, we can develop our lungs power”.
“It is necessary that by not giving priority to only the external form of yoga (asanas and pranayama), we should continuously try converting our life into a yogic lifestyle, in which we should also imbibe good diet, action and thoughts”, he concluded.
The programme was moderated by Dr. Shruti Vip, Convener, Yoga Club, PGDAV College. Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Convener, IQAC, PGDAV College proposed the vote of thanks. Shri Gulshan Gupta, North East Coordinator of GSDS coordinated this programme.