Launching of Activities

6^th International Day of Yoga

22 June 2020

Remarks by High Commissioner Tanmaya Lal

Hon’ble Minister for Health and Wellness Dr. Jagutpal

Senior colleagues from the Government of Mauritius

Media persons

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am grateful to be invited to this special event that marks the launching of the Yoga related activities to be undertaken by the Ministry of Health and Wellness. We would like to thank Government of Mauritius for the continuing collaboration in this field.

Yoga has evolved as a philosophical system over thousands of years. Today it is practiced around the world and continues to spread far wide, simply because it ‘works’, for its practitioners.

Recognizing the universal appeal of Yoga, the United Nations General Assembly in 2014 adopted the resolution 69/131 that proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga. The International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga for the individual and the society at large.

This year the International Day of Yoga came at a time when Governments and people all over the world are engaged in battling an unprecedented challenge in the form of the Covid-19 pandemic. Global attention is drawn acutely towards physical and mental health and wellbeing.

In view of the global pandemic, the focus for this year’s celebrations is not only ‘Yoga for Health’ but also ‘Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family’. Online digital platforms are being used to spread awareness about Yoga.

As I understand, Yoga is an ancient science that allows individuals to experience a new domain of the interconnectedness of all creation, a fundamental truth that the modern science is gradually discovering. Through this interconnectedness, Yoga helps tune our inner selves with our surroundings, our fellow human beings and nature.

The Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture (IGCIC) in Phoenix has facilities for learning Yoga, which are being availed of by a large number of Mauritian friends. The IGCIC also held online classes and various workshops on Yoga and Ayurveda during the recent Curfew period in Mauritius. The Government of Mauritius has an extensive programme to promote Yoga. There are also a large number of other institutions, which are active in teaching and promoting Yoga. We would like to expand our collaboration through our outreach programmes for Yoga including for schools and training of trainers, etc.

In the context of holistic health & wellness, like Yoga, Ayurveda, a plant-based treatment system, is another traditional system of knowledge that has stood the test of time.

India is a mega biodiverse country with an extensive range of geographies, soils and climates and ecosystems and the role of forests, trees and plants is sustaining life has been keenly understood by people since millennia. It is no surprise that a whole range of plants and trees are considered sacred in our tradition.

In Ayurveda there is a significant focus on medicinal plants specific to a geography, climate, seasonal variations and local agriculture practices. Each individual’s physical constitution is also a fundamental aspect of clinical assessment.

Ayurvedic formulations (as also Yoga) are known for their holistic approach in treating many ailments especially the lifestyle and non-communicable diseases. Modern science is validating the medicinal properties of many of these herbal medicines.

The Government of India has actively promoted traditional medicine systems including Ayurveda, Yunani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH). A separate Ministry of Ayush was established in 2014. It is estimated that there are nearly half a million Ayurveda physicians, 2,400 Ayurveda hospitals and several hundred Ayurveda pharmacies in India.

Another important initiative has been the setting up of a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library to protect traditional knowledge from biopiracy, bioprospecting and unethical patenting practices as also to digitize and document ancient texts and formulations.

Recently, the Government has announced clinical drug trials to evaluate the safe and effective use of selected and standardised Ayurvedic medicines in the prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19. Ministry of Ayush had issued an advisory for use of well-known Ayurvedic formulations to improve the general immune system and health in the time of this pandemic.

The Government of Mauritius also promotes the use of Ayurvedic medicines through its Traditional Medicine Board and a number of practicing Ayurvedic Doctors. Earlier this year, two senior officials from Government of Mauritius participated in an International Conference on Ayush in India. We are also working on other aspects of collaboration such as Ayush scholarships and setting up of an Ayush Chair.

A greater the dissemination and adoption of these traditional knowledge systems like Yoga and Ayurveda can play an important role in building healthy communities and peaceful and harmonious world, a goal that we all cherish and should strive for.

This is part of our longstanding partnership in the field of public healthcare and we look forward to our continued collaboration.

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