INDIA NEWS
July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
IAIE, Fight4Balance and India News organize International Day of Yoga 2021 in Brisbane
INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY 2021
Consulate General of India in Melbourne conducts virtual event to commemorate IDY 2021
Professor Muthupandian Ashok Kumar
A
Dr Ashutosh Misra
By Dr Ashutosh Misra
T
he 2021 International Day of Yoga was organized by the Institute for Australia India Engagement (IAIE), Fight4Balance and India News in conjunction with the Art of Living group, near the Mahatma Gandhi Statue at Roma Street Parkland, Spring Hill, Brisbane on Saturday, 19 June 2021. The event was supported by the Indian High Commission in Canberra. At the event IAIE CEO Dr Ashutosh Misra welcomed the participants and guests and highlighted that India’s stellar leadership in yoga is now recognised globally, since the United Nations announced 21 June as the International Yoga day, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 27 September 2014 speech in the UN General
Mr Stephen Illidge
Assembly. He said that India’s proposal had received the support and co-sponsorship of 177 nations which is a record itself. Dr Misra also said that as Covid-19 continues to upend lives and livelihoods around the world, the relevance of yoga has become more profound to maintain a healthy body and mind. He also delivered a special note of acknowledgement for the Indian High Commission for supporting the event for the second year in a row. India News chairman and publisher Dr Ram Mohan also in his welcome remarks thanked the Indian High Commission, Fight4Balance and Art of Living for their support and emphasized on the relevance of yoga in the current scenario. Mr Stephen Illidge, CEO of
Dr Ram Mohan
Fight4Balance that helps children with mental disabilities said that kids need to build mental and psychological resilience and yoga is a great way to do it. He said that Australians love India’s soft power appeal including yoga very much and IAIE and Fight4Balance can play an important role in creating greater awareness about yoga and bilateral friendship, and his charity was proud to connect with the Indian community for the event and beyond. The session was conducted by Ms Seema Lathker of the Art of Living. IAIE Sports and Wellness program coordinator Dr Amol Wagholikar and Board Member Mr Muthuraj Guruswamy, local community champions and family and friends of the participating institutions were there amongst the participants.
Brisbane City Council, High Commission of India, Canberra and DJJS celebrate International Day of Yoga
City Council at Calamvale District Park, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on June 13, 2021.
Sadhvi Deepika Bharti Ji
A
special Yoga event was organised by Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan (DJJS) on the cordial invitation of the High Commission of India, Canberra and Cr. Angela Owen of Brisbane
www.indianews.com.au
Local Councillor Angela Owen greeted the participants with a “Namaste” and said that it was a privilege for her to welcome everyone to the special event celebrating International Day of Yoga and thanked all the participants for making the event a special one. She also extended her gratitude to the DJJS representatives for organizing and coordinating the event.
Archana Singh, Honorary Consulate India, Brisbane welcomed everyone on behalf of the Government of India and the Indian High Commission in Canberra to the special event organised to showcase the wonderful virtues of the ancient art of Yoga and share it with the rest of the world. She also praised DJJS and Cr. Angela Owen for their successful organization of the event every year. She urged everyone to make Yoga a part of their daily lives in order to
facebook.com/indianewsaustralia
virtual yoga and meditation session was organised by the Consulate General of India, Melbourne in association with the University of Melbourne, The Art of Living and Heartfulness Institute on Saturday 19th June, 2021 to mark the seventh International Day of Yoga (IDY). This year’s theme was ‘Yoga for unity and well-being”. The event started with the lighting of the lamps and was followed by an opening speech delivered by Consul General Raj Kumar who delineated how 21st June was declared as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations in 2014 after the current Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi had made recommendations for the same. The proposal which had found support from 177 nations culminated in the birth of the International Day of Yoga. Professor Muthupandian Ashok Kumar, Assistant Deputy Vice Chancellor International India, Acting Director of Australia India Institute and a professor of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne expressed that it was a honour to be an event partner and that the University has had the pleasure of conducting the IDY event in collaboration with the Consulate General of India, Melbourne for the past three years. He also stated that the University of Melbourne has been at the forefront providing aid to those most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Professor Moira O’Bryan, Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne also emphasized the crucial role Yoga has been playing in helping individuals practising it gain mind and body relaxation especially in the past
Yoga session by volunteers of The Art of Living in progress
Dr Santosh Kumar Yadav
one year when stress levels have been peaking. She welcomed all the participants and urged all working professionals in particular to take out some time from their hectic schedule to practice Yoga in order to relieve themselves of stress. The Yoga session was conducted by the volunteers of The Art of Living while the Heartfulness Institute presented a meditation session. Dr Santosh Kumar Yadav of AYUSH Information Cell Melbourne-Australia gave an insight into the essence of yoga. Highlighting yoga as an activity facilitating the unity of individual consciousness with universal consciousness, he stated that yoga is instrumental in balancing and harmonizing body, mind and emotions. Prabhat Sangwan of the Consulate General of India, Melbourne closed the event by thanking all the participants whose involvement ensured the success of the virtual event.
become productive individuals with a resilient mind, body and spirit. An important highlight of the event was a virtual talk by Sadhvi Deepika Bharti Ji, a disciple of Shri Ashutosh Maharaj Ji from DJJS India; reiterating the expansive meaning of Yoga as mentioned in Vedic texts and busting popular myths and misconceptions about Yoga through an inquisitive Q&A session.
14
