On 21st June 2018, International Yoga Day was celebrated at Maitri Bhawan, Arogyadham Sevagram. This was the fourth year of celebration of International Yoga Day at Arogyadham.
Arogyadham is an integrative health care and research project of Kasturba Health Society created for the promotion of positive health. The centre runs naturopathy and yoga treatment centre and is supported by the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy, Dept. of AYUSH, Govt of India.
The International Yoga day was celebrated as a three-part-programme.
First, a workshop on Stress management through Yoga was hosted in the auditorium of the institute on 16th June 2018. Faculty, students, staff, and paramedics attended the workshop. Dr Hemant Bhargav Senior Scientific Officer, NIMHANS Integrated Centre for Yoga (NICY) Department of Psychiatry was the guest speaker for the occasion. Dr NM Gangane, Dean MGIMS addressed the gathering. Dr OP Gupta, Emeritus Professor of Medicine presided over the event while Dr Ruchi Kothari Associate Professor of Physiology and Organizing Secretary of the event briefed about the theme of the workshop.
The workshop was designed with the purpose to highlight yoga, pranayama and meditation as drugless systems of medicine and as a science of holistic living for promotion of positive health and prevention of non-communicable diseases in young and old. It was also designed to sensitize and motivate doctors in modern medicine to introduce healthy yoga lifestyle as intervention in management of lifestyle diseases due to stress. Efforts were made to disseminate the scientific and technical advances in yoga and meditation by practicing experts and researchers.
Dr Hemant Bhargav briefed the participants on the awareness of the disease in public and how to protect and cure diseases with the help of a diet and yoga. “Changing lifestyle is equally important to handle daily stress”, he added. Dr Bhargav also demonstrated asanas, pranayamas and special techniques for the management of stress. The participants were impressed and motivated by his demonstrations. Dr. Anuradha Khandekar, Joint coordinator, Arogyadham and Medical Officer of Alternate Medicine proposed vote of thanks.
Second, a Mass Yoga Demonstration was held at Maitri Bhavan, Arogyadham on 21st June. The yoga was performed from 07:00 to 08:00 am as per the common yoga protocol. 70 participants comprising of faculty, staff, students and residents of the village attended the yoga session. Dr Poonam Shivkumar (Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology) presided over the occasion. Mr Chetan Dandade (Yoga therapist, Arogyadham) conducted the session. Different asanas, pranayamas techniques and om meditation were conducted and demonstrated. Sprouts and herbal tea were provided to all the participants after the yoga demonstration.
Third, a seminar on Yoga was organized by Academy of Medical Sciences, MGIMS, Sevagram on 21st June. Dr OP Gupta (Emeritus Professor of Medicine) delivered a talk on “Yoga – A way to healthy life” and enlightened the audience with his deep interest and knowledge. Dr Ruchi Kothari delivered a talk on “Physiological aspects of Yoga”. Dr. Anuradha Khandekar, delivered a presentation on “Breath Awareness Meditation”. She demonstrated the technique to maintain balanced and peaceful mind and to relieve stress in day to day life. Dr Ranjan Solanki (Assistant Professor of Community Medicine) delivered a talk on “Evidence based Yoga” and Dr Akshay Yadav (Intern 2013 Batch) delivered a talk on “Relationship of Yoga with Stress encountered by Medical students”. Medical faculty and students attended the seminar which was followed by the active discussion on the importance of Yoga by the participants.
Dr Anuradha Khandekar, Joint Coordinator Arogyadham, was satisfied having brought awareness amongst the staff and students. “I am happy that were able to convince the participants about the benefits of yoga. We hope everyone to join our yoga sessions to promote one’s physical and mental health”, she added.
