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Experts highlight health benefits of yoga, bat for its integration into modern life at Mysuru conference
The second yoga conference organised by the Federation of Yoga Teachers of Karnataka brought together scholars, practitioners, and health professionals to deliberate on the importance of the practice in modern life, and its role in building a healthy society, in Mysuru on Sunday.
Inaugurating the event, B.C. Bhagavan, vice-chancellor of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), Bengaluru, emphasised that yoga, India's ancient gift to the world, has transcended geographical boundaries and is now embraced globally as a holistic lifestyle practice.
'Earlier, it was narrowly seen as just a form of exercise. But over the past few decades, the awareness of its deeper spiritual and therapeutic dimensions has grown,' he said.
Highlighting yoga's international reach, Mr. Bhagavan noted that the International Day of Yoga (IDY) is now celebrated in nearly 170 countries, symbolising the widespread acceptance of the practice.
However, he raised concerns over the increasing disconnect of India's post-1990s generation from the country's traditions.
'They are deeply influenced by Western lifestyles, addicted to digital media, and drawn to short-format content like reels, from an early age. Their concentration levels and attention spans are worryingly low,' he observed, and stressed the need to promote yoga and naturopathy among the new generation. This will help the youth to build resilience and holistic well-being, said Mr. Bhagavan.
Flagging the rise in drug and substance abuse among young people, he said nearly 25% of youth are reportedly involved in tobacco use and substance abuse, and it was imperative to intervene and wean them away.
Citing research and studies on yoga, Mr. Bhagavan said that the results demonstrated it's efficacy in managing and curing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). 'Yoga has shown measurable benefits in treating hypertension, heart diseases, postural issues, and kidney function disorders. It has both protective and curative potential,' he said, calling for yoga to be adopted as a way of life to build a healthier society.
The conference was presided over by Ramachandra G. Bhat Kotemane, a senior yoga scholar.
Addressing the gathering, Nanjangud MLA Darshan Dhruvanarayan reinforced the cultural significance of yoga and the role of Mysuru in its modern revival. 'Mysuru has long been a hub for yoga in South India. Foreigners have been drawn to the city to learn under the tutelage of renowned gurus,' he said. He also echoed concerns about the youth's addiction to digital media, and underlined the urgent need to create awareness about the benefits of yoga among them.
A publication on yoga guru T. Krishnamacharya, authored by N. Anand, was released on the occasion. B.N.S. Iyengar, a direct disciple of T. Krishnamacharya, was among those present.
The technical sessions that followed saw experts deliberating on various aspects of yoga, including its metaphysical and spiritual dimensions, aspects of ashtanga yoga, integrating yoga into lifestyle, yoga for health, pranayama for mental health, etc.
