NEW DELHI: President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) PT Usha advocated for the integration of yoga into the Asian Games' roster of sports, aiming to enhance the global appeal of this traditional practice.
In her communication with Raja Randhir Singh, the President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), Usha highlighted the widespread celebration of the 10th International Day of Yoga on June 21, noting the universal acceptance and benefits that yoga has garnered globally.
"The world celebrated the 10th International Day of Yoga on June 21 and the response to its universal has been overwhelming. People across nations have embraced yoga and drawn benefits," Usha said in the letter, as reported by PTI.
"I am confident that as the spiritual home of yoga and as Vishwaguru, India can campaign for the inclusion of the sport in the Asian Games and eventually the Olympic Games as well," she added.
Usha's letter to the OCA President is part of a broader effort to elevate yoga to a recognized sport within the Asian Games, with an ultimate goal of inclusion in the Olympic Games.
This initiative reflects a belief in the spiritual and cultural value of yoga, as well as its potential to contribute to the global sports community. The mention of the Louvre Museum in Paris offering yoga sessions ahead of the Olympics serves as an example of the growing recognition of yoga's cultural and health benefits across different contexts.
The IOA President also referenced a conversation with the Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya who expressed support for the proposal.
According to Usha, Mandaviya views the inclusion of yoga in the Asian Games as a pivotal step towards its recognition at the Olympic level.
"He told me that he sees the inclusion in the Asian Games would be the first step in taking the sport to the Olympics. We need our indigenous sport to be on such platforms," she remarked.
Usha's advocacy for yoga's inclusion in the Asian Games reflects a strategic approach to leveraging India's cultural heritage for international sports diplomacy.
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