How's the response from different parts of the state for the day?
Very good. Now, people are slowly understanding the importance of yoga. On Sunday, lakhs, including students will observe it by doing sessions. I have spoken to more than 30 NGOs, who have been working in the field of yoga for long. They are getting inquiries from a number of people. Yoga is beneficial for health in ways that modern science is just beginning to understand. Even though it has been applied with therapeutic intention for thousands of years, it is only now emerging as a discipline in itself.
Then why the controversy over it?
I really don't understand why some section of people give it a religious colour. It's been endorsed as International Day of Yoga, which means most of the country is in favour of it. If anybody wants to perform yoga, they should be allowed to, instead of a controversy being created on it.
Does the government have any other plans with respect to yoga?
The government has plans to introduce it in school syllabus. I think it there should be a uniform syllabus of it across the country, it will help people understand it better. There are a lot of institutes in the country and state that teach yoga. There is a huge potential for it...
What are the benefits of yoga?
It is a great stress-buster. Most doctors advise doing it daily to keep the mind cool and calm. While there is research going on on it, some diseases can controlled by yoga. It also helps you lose weight, improves your stamina and even beats migraines and insomnia.
