People practise yoga to mark International Day of Yoga at Adalaj Stepwell in Gandhinagar. AP
In a landmark development in the world of sports, thanks to the sustained efforts of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), yoga has been included in the Asian Games program. On June 26, IOA President PT Usha wrote to Randhir Singh, Interim President of the Olympic Council of Asia, requesting him to include yoga as a sport in the Asian Games.
Announcing the OCA Executive Committee’s decision to include yoga in the Asian Games on Monday, Usha thanked Randhir for his “unwavering support”.
“We are happy that the Indian Olympic Association Governing Council has voluntarily agreed to India’s request to give yoga the recognition it deserves. The proposal will now be sent to the General Assembly via the Sports Committee for approval,” Usha said in a statement released by the Indian Olympic Association.
Usha added that the inclusion of yoga is an important step towards its embrace by the competitive sports world, thanks to the vision and initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Yoga has universal appeal and people across the world are embracing and benefiting from it,” she said.
Usha also thanked new Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya for his efforts to incorporate yoga into the sport ahead of the OCA meeting. “With the Prime Minister himself at the forefront, our collective efforts will ensure uninterrupted success. I am happy that India’s efforts to incorporate yoga into its biggest sporting event are finding resonance,” the 60-year-old said in a statement.
Mandaviya had previously supported PT Usha’s efforts to get yoga included in the Asian Games, saying in a statement: “Given yoga’s widespread popularity, it is only natural that it should be included as a competitive sport in the Asian Games.”
Yogasana Bharat has already received an award from the Ministry of Sports for developing Yogasana as a competitive sport in India.
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