Pune institute selected for PM's yoga award

The Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute of Pune has been selected as the first recipient of the prime minister's award for outstanding contribution for promotion and development of yoga 2017.
The selection was done from among 85 nominations received and 15 more recommended by a screening committee.
The jury, chaired by the cabinet secretary, with the additional secretary to the prime minister, the foreign secretary, secretary (AYUSH), and Veerendra Heggade as members, examined the screening committee's recommendations.
"After considering all relevant facts and other inputs, the jury recommended that the award for the current year be given to Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute," said a senior official from AYUSH ministry.

Last year, at the 2nd International Day of Yoga celebrations at Chandigarh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the institution of awards for the promotion of the ancient Indian spiritual discipline.
Following this, the ministry of AYUSH developed the guidelines for the awards and two committees -- screening committee (for preliminary evaluation) and evaluation committee (Jury)-- were constituted so that a transparent process is followed in finalising the awards.

The nomination for the awards were invited through open advertisements.
The screening committee shortlisted 16 names from among the applications received after detailed discussions and analysis.
In addition, the committee also recommended for consideration of 15 names of eminent yoga individuals and organisations who have longstanding credibility in the field of promotion of yoga but whose names did not figure in the applications received.

The Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute has worked to spread yoga internationally. The institute has published several books on yoga and these have been translated into multiple languages.