An Indian yoga instructor leads a group of Army soldiers in a yoga session in Bengaluru to mark International Yoga Day on June 21. AP
Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha has called for yoga to be included in the future Asian Games. In a letter to Raja Randhir Singh, president of the Olympic Council of Asia, the former sprinter said yoga should first be included in the Asian Games and then be considered for inclusion in the Olympics.
“The world celebrated the 10th International Day of Yoga on June 21 and the response was overwhelming due to its universal appeal,” she said in the letter. “People across countries are embracing and benefiting from yoga.”
“As the spiritual home of yoga and as Vishwaguru, I am confident that India can campaign for the inclusion of the sport in the Asian Games and eventually the Olympics as well,” she said.
She also revealed plans by Paris Olympic organisers to hold yoga sessions at the Louvre museum ahead of next month’s Summer Olympics.
“It is heartening to see the Louvre welcoming yoga. It is our responsibility to raise awareness of the sport by including yoga in the Asian Games and the Olympics,” she said.
The four-time Asian Games gold medallist also said he was receiving support from the Indian government through Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to achieve this goal.
“He told me that participating in the Asian Games would be the first step in taking the sport to the Olympics. It is necessary for our traditional sport to be placed on such a platform,” PT Usha said.
“Yoga as a sport is a very attractive proposition for broadcasters,” she said. “Yoga was part of the Khelo India Games and seeing its success, the organisers of the national games in Goa have included yoga, including mallakhamb and yogasana, as part of the programme. I am sure the Olympic Council of Asia will find sufficient reasons to accept my proposal.”
In August 2020, the National Yoga Sports Federation (NYSF) was established and was recognized as the National Federation of Yoga by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in November 2020. Its main objective is to foster and strengthen Yoga Asana as a sport. In the process of transforming yoga into a sport, seven of the eight traditionally recognized limbs were ignored and only the physical aspect, called Asana, was focused on.
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