International Yoga Day observed

Various institutions and organisations in and around Tiruchi marked the ninth International Yoga Day (IYD) on Wednesday by conducting awareness programmes and mass exercise sessions to reiterate the wellness concepts promoted by the ancient method.

Tiruchi Commissioner of Police M. Sathiya Priya joined over 500 staff of the police force in doing yoga exercises as part of an IYD programme organised at the Armed Reserve Police Ground.

Collector M. Pradeep Kumar inaugurated an exhibition on naturopathy and yogic cures as part of the ‘Yoga Utsav’ organised by the District Siddha Medical Officer on Wednesday.

Approximately 200 employees of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) Tiruchi participated in a special workshop on the theme ‘Y-Break — Yoga at office chair’ conducted by trainers of Coimbatore-based Isha Foundation. They were trained in postures and breathing techniques which can be performed at their workplace.

Earlier, students of BHEL Tiruchi, including RSK Higher Secondary School, BHEL Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Boiler Plant Girls Higher Secondary School and Boiler Plant Boys Higher Secondary School also attended yoga sessions at their campuses.

Yoga sessions were conducted at five places in Tiruchi Railway Division, with officials participating enthusiastically. At the CSI Methodist Secondary School in Woraiyur, over 1,000 students practised yoga postures with officials and faculty.

G. Aghila, director, National Institute of Technology – Tiruchi (NIT-T) highlighted the value of yoga in daily life and motivated students and staff to practise it regularly at a mass exercise session organised on Wednesday. The institute also announced the commencement of daily yoga training as part of the IYD celebrations.

Over 50 persons attended the morning yoga workout organised by Indian Institute of Information Technology, Tiruchi (IIIT-T) at its Sethurappatti campus on the theme ‘Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. During the session, conducted by Sowndharya, a Hatha Yoga teacher from Isha Foundation, participants practised neck exercises, nadi shuddhi, and meditation, among other postures.

Mala Jeyaprakash, Tiruchi zonal head of the non-profit organisation World Community Service Centre and her team demonstrated exercises as part of IYD programmes organised by the National Service Scheme (NSS) cell of Bharathidasan University in association with the Centre for Swami Vivekananda Studies and Centre for Spirituality and Yogic Sciences.

Over 500 NSS cadets from St. Joseph’s College, Jamal Mohamed College, Bishop Heber College, Cauvery College, Shrimathi Indira Gandhi College, Srimad Andavan College participated in the programme.

Among the government organisations celebrating IYD in Thanjavur, 1,500 school students participated enthusiastically in a yoga programme inaugurated by K.K. Gopalakrishnan, director, South Zone Cultural Zone. International Yoga Day sessions were also held at Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan group of institutions in Perambalur.