Week-Long Yoga Day Celebrations by CSIR-NIScPR with SVASTIK Started Yesterday

As part of International Day of Yoga 2022, the CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR) in New Delhi, in collaboration with the SVASTIK team, launched a week-long celebration. On this occasion, a virtual platform hosted a seminar on "Scientific Understanding of Yoga" on June 17, 2022.

Dr. Charu Lata, the Senior Scientist at CSIR-NIScPR and project coordinator for SVASTIK, provided opening remarks. She discussed the history of yoga and the role that Prime Minister Narendra Modi played in bringing it to the global stage.

Prof. Ranjana Aggarwal, Director of the CSIR-NIScPR, greeted the guest and other dignitaries. In her speech, she emphasized the importance of yoga in balancing the body, mind, and human relationship with the world. Yoga emphasizes the values of mindfulness, moderation, discipline, and perseverance.

Yoga, when applied to communities and societies, offers a path to long-term sustainability. She stated that large-scale genomic studies had validated meditation's positive impact on human well-being.

She stated that in keeping with this year's theme, "Yoga for Humanity," CSIR-NIScPR is planning a week-long celebration to educate the public about the benefits of yoga in leading a healthy lifestyle.

Prof. Ranjana also discussed the CSIR-NIScPR SVASTIK initiative, which aims to communicate India's traditional knowledge with scientific foundations to society through popular channels.

Subhash Kesarwani, Director (NGS), NTIPRIT, DoT, Govt. of India, delivered the keynote address. In his speech, Kesarwani emphasized the importance of practicing yoga to keep the body free of toxins and the mind free of tensions. He talked about eating healthy and exercising regularly to boost body's immunity and prepare it to fight diseases. The lecture was followed by an interactive session in which participants asked yoga expert Kesarwani questions about various yoga practices.

Charu Verma, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-NIScPR, concluded the programme with a vote of thanks. The event was attended by CSIR-NIScPR staff and students, and it was live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube.