The Fourth International Day of Yoga is just a few days away. Since June 21, 2015, when International Day of Yoga was first celebrated, IDY celebrations have multiplied, spreading over a couple of days. This year, with quite a few celebrations already scheduled, we will be seeing the celebrations starting as early as June 15 and going up to the end of the month. However, among all other celebrations, there are two which are official and more noteworthy. The one is organized by Permanent Mission of India at the United Nations, and, the other, by the Indian Consulate.

The Indian Panorama Chief Editor Prof. Indrajit S Saluja spoke with Consul General of India in New York, Ambassador Sandeep Chakraborty, and Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, Permanent representative of India to the United Nations to know from them how the historic event was planned this year.

Here are excerpts from the interview with Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin.

 Prof: As I had requested, we want you to focus on the great event that is coming up. Congratulations to you, in the last 3 years it has become such a popular event having the whole world celebrate it at the UN. It does bring credit to you as India’s representative here and it does bring a lot of honor and respect for the country. This is the 4^thone and every year the bar has been rising. So, this year the expectations are also very high. My readers would like to know what are the preparations for the event from 19 to 21^stJune with regard to celebration of International Day of Yoga?

Amb:Well the international day of Yoga as you know is perhaps the most significant effort that India has launched globally in promoting through soft power its culture and heritage. It’s an approach that started at the UN because we felt that the UN is the right platform to go global rather than do it in individual countries. We use the global platform to go global. As you said, every year the effort is to try and improve it and consolidate what we have done before. As in previous years we will have 2 events, one is the event of Yoga demonstration and another will be a conversation with the people who have benefitted from Yoga. So, there will be event on the 20^thwhich will focus largely on the outside aspect of the UN where we expect more than a 1000 people to join us. They will be diplomats as well as some non- diplomats and we are working with various UN clubs as well as other organizations to get Yoga enthusiasts. And there are several Yoga masters who will also be participating in that with their supporters and those who are interested in joining in. In addition, the focus will be what we call Yoga for peace. Given today’s world where there is a lot of turbulence & violence in various parts of the world, the effort is that can Yoga contribute through its multifaceted approaches to a more peaceful world.  So, the outside event will be followed by an inside event on the 21^stwhere we will have people who have benefitted from Yoga in various aspects for example, war veterans, disabled who have benefitted. Also, those who have served prison terms and how yoga has helped them reintegrate with world. So, we are trying to bring in different perspectives of people who have benefitted from yoga and how they have reintegrated with the society using Yoga as a pole along which they have constructed their lives.

Prof: Well, very well said. But why are we so particular about spreading the message of Yoga?

Amb: Well, Yoga is an ancient Indian heritage which has gone global because of its appeal in helping us tackle some of the most difficult issues that we have confronted. Because Yoga is not only an exercise; it is an approach to living in harmony with Nature. So, in today’s world where we have used and abused Nature in so many ways, living in harmony with Nature provides us a strong underpinning to reorient our lives. Look at the fear that we have in terms of a damage to the environment. Yoga is a philosophy of life which helps us in ensuring that man and environment are not in antagonism with each other. So, there are multifaceted benefits in terms of philosophical approach, in terms of controlling our emotions, in terms of living in harmony with Nature that Yoga helps us achieve and therefore the emphasis on promoting Yoga as a lifestyle approach in turbulent times.

Prof: You mean that Yoga restores a balance in the health – Mental, Physical & Societal Health?

Amb: It is one of the tools.

Prof: And you want the world to know about this lifestyle?

Amb:  It is a tool that helps human beings to confront the multifaceted issues that they face. .Like  various other tools are available. Meditation is a form; Anger management is one. So, there are multifaceted tools, and all must be used. In today’s world, every tool is useful in fostering harmony, fostering nonviolence, fostering peace, because we are in very turbulent times. We look around the world and we see around us a dissonance which many of us have not seen in our lifetimes. Change of such unprecedented nature is impacting on us and we need a pole that could help us stabilize in such turbulence.

Prof:  Which means Yoga can be a very powerful business proposition also?

Amb: Obviously, in today’s world anything to succeed, if it cannot manifest itself as a business proposition, it cannot succeed.

Prof: Coming back to celebration of main event, is all set?

Amb: Yes.

Prof: Who all are coming this year?

Amb: Dr. Nagendra from Bengaluru is coming. There will be an exhibition organized by Sehaj Yoga.

Prof: What is your message to the readers of The Indian panorama?

Amb: I want to invite readers of The Indian Panorama to come in large numbers to celebrate the historic day. I hope the message of Yoga is reflected from the global platform.

Prof. How do participants get entry to the venue?

Amb: They need to go to our website www.pminewyork.organd register.