President to inaugurate centenary of world's oldest yoga institute in Mumbai

President R.N. Kovind will on Friday inaugurate the centenary celebrations of The Yoga Institute, the world's oldest organized institute of yoga studies, which turned 100 on Tuesday, an official said.

A non-profit organization, TYI was founded on December 25, 1918, by yoga guru Yogendraji and spearheaded by three generations including his mother Sita Devi, Jayendra Yogendra, the present Director Hansaji Yogendra and Hrishi Jayadeva Yogendra.

Acknowledged for its contribution to holistic development of Yoga for householders and families, it became the country's first Yoga school certified by the Quality Council of India, Ministry of AYUSH, and bagged the Prime Minister's Award 2018 for outstanding contribution for promotion and development of the ancient Indian science.

As part of the centenary celebrations, TYI has organized a two-day wellness festival, the Harmony Fest, at the MMRDA Grounds in Bandra Kurla Complex.

Long before yoga came onto the global arena, TYI, situated in a green corner of Santacruz east, was contributing towards transforming the lives of people through spectacular services to yoga, its systematic teaching and propagation.

Today, it has more than 500 publications on the subject to its credit, and the books of TYI founder Yogendraji have been stored since 1940 in the oldest and largest millennial time capsule, the 'Crypt of Civilisation' at Oglethorpe University, Georgia, USA, which will be reopened in 8113 AD, after more than 6,000 years.

TYI Director Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra said that the institute felt "humbled and privileged to have continued the service of yoga through the institute as per the vision of the founder, Yoga Guru Yogendraji".

She said the Harmony Fest would help bring about harmony and balance in the lives of people all over the country.

The TYI has centres in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, France, Italy, Finland, Brazil, Canada, Australia and other countries, and since 2008, has set up a first-of-its-kind museum dedicated to yoga.

--IANS

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