Maharashtra Governor Shri Bhagat Singh Koshiyari pays rich tribute to The Yoga Institute on 101 years of service to Yoga and spreading its great value of mental strength and inner peace
· Plaudits for Silver Jubilee of Life School project which has been providing Yoga training to 10,000 municipal school students across Mumbai
Mumbai, 28 December 2019: As the world’s oldest centre of organized Yoga teaching, the historic Yoga Institute, Mumbai, completed 101 years of transforming lives through outstanding service to Yoga, the Hon’ble Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, has paid rich tributes to the historic institution. He said, “For its continuous and consistent service to Yoga in India and across the world for more than a century, TheYoga Institute deserves the highest praise and congratulations. And while the institute has crossed a century of service, I am pleased to learn that its Life School project has also completed a silver jubilee of selflessly teaching Yoga to thousands of students in BMC schools across Mumbai, which too is a matter of great joy.”
Lauding the great value of Yoga, the Hon’ble Governor said, “While material development and growth may definitely be coming in from the West, the invaluable benefits of Yoga are India’s gift to mankind. The practice of Yoga not only makes us healthier in body, it also gives us mental strength and great inner peace, which are truly invaluable gifts.”
The Honble Governor was the Chief Gues at a ceremony attended by a distinguished gathering of Yogis and Yoga students from India and across 40 countries of the world at The Yoga Institute, which was founded on 25th December 1918. Himself an admirer and follower of Yoga, his Excellency toured the Yoga Institute campus and the Yoga Museum.
Smt Hansa Jayadeva Yogendra, Director of The Yoga Institute, said, “I am extremely grateful to the Honble Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshiyari ji, for having graced The Yoga Institute with his presence and blessings on this important milestone. His kind words of encouragement will inspire us to continue the service of Yoga through The Yoga Institute as per the vision of our Founder, the great Yoga Guru Shri Yogendra ji. I would also like to thank our other distinguished guests and supporters who have always been pillars of support as we work each day to help bring about harmony and balance in the lives of people across India and the world.”
The Hon’ble Governor also presented The Yoga Institute Award of Excellence for outstanding contribution to Society, to Adfactors PR, for its ongoing support of the Life School project which imparts Yoga training to more than 10,000 under-privileged students in municipal corporation schools across Mumbai.
Smt Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra said, “This award is a token of appreciation for the great support The Yoga Institute has received from Adfactors PR, who have been our cherished partners and well wishers. They have helped us raise Yoga awareness across more than 100 BMC schools all over Mumbai by sponsoring our mission to impart free Yoga education to help underprivileged children lead a healthy lifestyle. We thank them for their faith in us and look forward to working together to take the teachings and benefits of classical yoga to more and more people in the years to come.”
The award was received by Madan Bahal, Managing Director of Adfactors PR, and Trustee of The Yoga Institute. He said, “We are humbled by this recognition, and honoured to have received the award at the hands of Honble Governor Shri Bhagat Singh Koshiyari ji. I would also like to express our deep gratitude to The Yoga Institute for having recognized our very small and humble contribution to the cause of Yoga and children in the form of the Life School project. The child is the future of every society and it is our collective duty to do everything we can to ensure a good future for our precious children. Adfactors PR will continue to support The Yoga Institute’s Life School project which provides invaluable help to children, who have always been the focus of all our CSR efforts.”
Smt Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra expressed her gratitude to principals of BMC schools – some of whom along with teachers of The Yoga Institute graced the occasion as distinguished guests — for helping take the goodness of Yoga to close to 10000 under-privileged school children. A cultural performance along with a video documentary on The Yoga Institute’s social service showcasing BMC schools were presented as part of the celebrations.
The Yoga Institute, a non-profit organisation, was founded on 25th December, 1918, by Yoga Guru Shri Yogendraji at Santacruz, Mumbai. Thanks to the efforts of three generations of Yogis led by Shri Yogendraji and including Mother Sita Devi, the late Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra and Dr. Hansaji Yogendra, and Hrishi Jayadeva Yogendra, The Yoga Institute has contributed immensely to the holistic development of Yoga for the Householders.
In 2018, it received the Prime Minister’s Award for outstanding contribution for promotion and development of Yoga, conferred by the Ministry of AYUSH. It is also India’s first Yoga school to be certified by the Quality Council of India, Ministry of AYUSH.
The Yoga Institute has more than 500 publications to its credit, and Shri Yogendraji’s books about Yoga are preserved in the oldest and the largest millennial time capsule in the world, the Crypt of Civilization at Oglethorpe University, USA, to be opened in the year 8113 AD.
Dr Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra is the only woman Yoga guru to be invited by Hon. Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi to share the stage at the first International Day of Yoga.
Every day, about 2000 persons visit The Yoga Institute for training and health consultations. Over the years, the Yoga Institute has also certified more than 55,000 trained Yoga teachers who, in 120 countries, have been helping millions live better holistically healthy lives with the help of householder Yoga.