Emphasising the point that COVID evoked worldwide interest in Yoga, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said today that Yoga had already gained worldwide popularity after the declaration of “International Yoga Day” by the UNO at the behest of Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi and it found further steep rise in its popularity when even those who were yet to initiate themselves into the practice of Yoga, also began to take a serious interest in the benefits of Yoga during the COVID pandemic and the lockdown that ensued.
While accepting a Demand Draft and a Cheque donated by the Bharatiya Yog Sansthan towards PM Cares Fund, Dr Jitendra Singh recalled PM Modi’s words that from Hollywood to Haridwar, people had taken serious note of Yoga during the Corona health crisis.
Recalling his long association with Bharatiya Yog Sansthan, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the volunteers of the Sansthan had toiled hard to teach and propagate Yoga right from the times when there was no TV or electronic media available.
Today, however, Yoga is fast getting integrated with people’s lives and the awareness about health has suddenly increased manifold during the last twelve weeks or so, he said.
During the lockdown period particularly, Dr Jitendra Singh observed, many people resorted to Yoga not only to seek a betterment in their immunity status, but also to get over the pangs of loneliness, anxiety or possible depression.
Even before the Corona pandemic arrived, people across the world had realized the benefits of Yoga in various health conditions including non-communicable disease like Diabetes Mellitus, where the practice of Yoga and its benefits have even accepted by the western physicians as an adjuvant therapy in the management and control of blood sugar levels. The scientific customization of Yoga in treatment of modern day disorders like heart disease and hypertension has, in fact, given credence to integrated or holistic approach in the management of diseases.
During the lockdown period, Dr Jitendra Singh noted that a number of online Yoga programmes were also organized and the constraints of lockdown inspired the launching of several new options like practice of Yoga with online or digital support.
One of the fall-outs of the post-COVID era would be, remarked Dr Jitendra Singh, that even after the Corona virus is gone, those who have become habitual of Yoga during the lockdown period, will most likely continue to practise it for the rest of their lives, thus turning it into a lifetime blessing.
Delegation of Bharatiya Yog Sansthan was led by its General Secretary Des Raj, National Executive Member Sharat Chander Aggarwal, Delhi President Lalit Kumar Gupta and others.