The Yoga Institute, at Santa Cruz in Mumbai, is entering its 100th year on 25th December 2017. To mark the 100th Anniversary Year of the Institute, year-long yoga awareness events and camps will take place globally with inauguration of 100 classical yoga centres across country.
Founded in 1918 by Yogendraji, the Yoga Institute is the oldest Yoga school running with the mission to spread the message of yoga in every household. The legacy of Yogendraji is today carried forward by his son Dr. JayadevaYogendra, President of the Institute and his wife, Hansa Yogendra as Director.
Its efforts and quality teaching have made The Yoga Institute the first institute to be Certified by the Quality Council of India (QCI). Everyday, 1,500 plus people visit the institute to learn and practice Yoga. With the 3 generations of the Yogendra family and more than 50,000 teachers trained globally, The Yoga Institute is working relentlessly to make Yoga a way of living.
The inauguration of the 100th year and the 99th Foundation day will be held in the presence of dignitaries like Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu, Governor of Maharashtra C Vidyasagar Rao, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, Dr. D R Kaarthikeyan, Former CBI Chief, Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muniji, Founder- Ahimsa Vishwabharati, Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, President of Paramarth Niketan, Rishikesh on 24 December 2017 at The Yoga Institute.
Following this, an International Yoga Seminar on Yoga themed The Culture of Tomorrow, will take place on 25 December 2017 at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, where enlightening sessions by Dr B M Hegde (World renowned cardiologist and medical scientist) and Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswatiji , Founder of Divine Shakti Foundation, Rishikesh will be held.
An open medico-yogic counselling camp Samatvam will be organised later in the evening. In addition to this, cultural programme will be held where The Yoga Institute Anthem will be launched and famous Santoor Maestro Rahul Sharma and group will perform.
Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra, director, The Yoga Institute, said, “Throughout our 100th year, we look forward to engagement and participation of over ten million people from across the globe physically and via digital means. We hope the celebrations will create greater awareness of the immense value of yoga for humanity, and contribute to the holistic development of communities through economic, social, intellectual and spiritual integration, in line with the invaluable life-mission of our Founder Yogendraji.”
Apart from these major activities, each month during the centenary year we aim to conduct multiple free yoga camps, health workshops, online yoga sessions, yoga for kids, transgenders, patients at mental asylum and many more. All the yogic events will be a meeting place for yoga masters, spiritual leaders, doctors, researchers and yoga practitioners, for them to network, collaborate, learn and grow. “In the service of mankind this is our effort to make the world free from health-related suffering and violence. Our ultimate aim is to promote peace and harmony across the globe and let India be known as the World Peace Maker,” Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendraji said.
During the centenary year period, yoga public health initiative will be held which will witness inauguration of 100 classical yoga centres across the country by the end of 2018 to promote yoga as a part of lifestyle and promote healthy living. Following which, global yoga art week will also be held which will explore the artistic side of yoga and spirituality and invite world renowned artists to create artworks on Yoga and Spirituality.
Meanwhile, corporate yoga: launching a yoga revolution amongst national and international corporates will also be held. Inauguration of a well equipped Yoga Research Centre to investigate the biological effect of various yogic techniques on human body will also be done.
Yoga Camps will also be held a month ahead of International Yoga Day. Yoga camps across the four corners of the city of Mumbai (Vashi, Goregaon, Lower Parel, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Oval and Azaad Maidan) will also be held. On International yoga day 2018, free yoga camp will be held at Mumbai Mantralaya for the government officials and general public. Similar free yoga camps will be held across the nation.
First of its kind Run, Run for Yoga where participants will run to raise Yoga awareness will be held on 25th November 2018 and a Grand Yoga Carnival: will be held between 23 December and 25th December 2018. Yoga Seminar and Conference on the theme Yoga and Education on 23 December 2018 along with Yoga Education exhibit, an award ceremony to appreciate achievements and research in yoga with 100 year alumni meet.
Yogic Food Festival to promote sattvik versions of multinational cuisines, showcasing different live food counters from around the globe by famous chefs will be held on 24 December 2018. The magnificent Foundation Day Celebrations will witness portrayal of beautiful yogic culture in the form of art and music at BKC Mumbai in the presence of great visionaries, yogis and leaders. The cultural eve will be marked by a concert, by the famous International musicians on 25 December 2018.