DU's foreign students to participate on Yoga Day

While Delhi University students are enjoying their summer vacations, around 41 foreign students from the institute are busy learning various 'asanas' in the run up to the International Yoga Day on June 21.

"We are sending a contingent of 41 students belonging to 13 countries including Nepal, Afghanistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, among others to participate on Yoga day at Rajpath in the capital.

"Special trainers have been hired to help these students learn yoga asanas," said Amrit Kaur Basra, Head of DU's Foreign Student Registration Office (FSRO).

The official noted that the foreign students of the university are "very excited to adopt yoga as part of their daily routine".

"The students keenly interact with their trainers to know about benefits of different asanas. Some of them say that yoga is equally popular in their respective countries" she said.

The Yoga celebrations are being held in the national capital after the United Nations had in December last year declared June 21 as International Yoga Day, with 177 countries voting in favour.

The proposal had been mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first address to the UN General Assembly in September last year.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked all universities under its jurisdiction to celebrate Yoga Day at the respective campuses.

In a letter on April 17, it had also directed that promotional films and other Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material on yoga should also be distributed to the students.

Besides, the contingent preparation for the Rajpath function, DU has also lined up a series of activities at various colleges on Yoga Day.

"Over 3,000 National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers and National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets will perform Yoga in the outdoor sports complex of the university on Sunday," a senior varsity official said, adding, these volunteers shall further ensure to instill the importance of yoga in their peers and train them.

Delhi University's Gandhi Bhawan, is also planning to hold yoga and meditation sessions on the day besides presentations on the 'Relevance of yoga in the modern times'.