India to host first-ever World Yogasana Championship showcasing India’s heritage sport to the world in June 2022

India’s first Physical National Yogasana Sports Championships begins with a gala opening ceremony  

Khel Today Bureau

New Delhi: Celebrating 75 Years of Independence, India is all set to take Yogasana-India’s heritage sport to the world. The National Yogasana Sports Federation (recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India) is consistently working towards building a strong culture of fitness, competition, well-being, and growth through the practice and development of Yogasana. Addressing a gala opening ceremony of India’s first Physical National Yogasana Sports Championships organized by NYSF in association with the Government of Odisha from 11th to 13th November 2021, in Bhubaneswar, Udit Sheth, President, NYSF said “India is going to host first-ever World Yogasana Championship showcasing India’s heritage sport to the world in June 2022”.

Odisha which has rightly earned accolades for encouraging and supporting various sports in India is hosting the first-ever Physical National Yogasana Sports Championships in Bhubaneswar. The championship was kick-started today with a vibrant and enthralling opening ceremony in presence of 560 bright, talented, and young athletes from 30 states aiming high for 50 medals in a uniquely designed competition. Shri R. Vineel Krishna, IAS Commissioner Cum Secretary, Sports & Youth Services Dept., Odisha encouraged and motivated the athletes during the opening ceremony. Udith Sheth, NYSF President, Dr. Jaideep Aarya, NYSF General Secretary, Dr. Prafulla Kumar Mishra, Mr. Umang Dawn, and Dr. Sasmita Samanta (KIIT University) were also present at the ceremony.

The event has been conceptualized with the aim to create a global brand of Yogasana as a Competitive Sport and support India’s vision to make Yogasana a sport with an Olympic Roadmap. Yoga is now being transformed as a sport taking a cue from Kabaddi and Cricket Yoga has the key to a sustainably healthy lifestyle and wellness, it is important to ensure that the youth understand, value, and adopt Yoga in their life.

Shri R. Vineel Krishna, IAS, Commissioner Cum Secretary, Sports & Youth Services Dept., Odisha said,” We are extremely happy that the first National Yogasana Sports Championship is being hosted by Odisha. We value sports and make an honest effort towards promoting amongst the youth for fitness. Yogasana is one of the finest mediums of fitness and wellness, and I am delighted that a world-class platform has been collated to promote it in the youth of India and the globe.”  

Udit Sheth, President, NYSF shared, “We are grateful to the Government of Odisha for their overwhelming support in hosting the Yogasana Championship. It is an honor and privilege to be able to organise the championship in Bhubaneswar. The structure of the championship for Yogasana as a sport has been uniquely curated. We are gratified with the huge participation from all over the country. It is truly an experience to be in the presence of such talented athletes, coaches, and experts. We hope to take Yogasana sport on to the global stage.”

Dr. Jaideep Arya, Secretary General, NYSF shared, “Health and fitness should be of utmost priority and there is no better discipline than Yoga. Reinventing Yogasana as a sport is a path-breaking idea, through which we are trying to create a more fruitful relevance for the youth across the globe. At NYSF we have committed our efforts towards promoting Yogasana and maintaining high standards in the competitive sport.  We are grateful for the opportunity to work with the Odisha Government for the maiden championship event. The sports facilities at Bhubaneswar are marvelous to host the event.”

Yogasana sport for both male and female categories has been included in Khelo India Youth Games, 2021. The Government of India’s recognition makes NYSF eligible for financial assistance for the conduct of national championships in all the categories, viz. Senior, Junior, and Sub-junior and participation in international sporting events. NYSF is working with a vision to build and market the brand of Yogasana through sustainable and scalable development and a competition structure that benefits the athletes, officials, and the sport.

About National Yogasana Sports Federation (NYSF):

In Indian traditions, yoga is not only a meditative and spiritual practice but also a physical exercise. While in modern-day Indian practices, yoga has also evolved into a competitive exercise that lets the practitioners compete in a healthy environment and engage in complex yoga asanas. For the preservation and development of yoga as a competitive sport, a national-wide federation was required to be constituted at the National level to promote ‘Yogasana As A Sport’. In view of the realization of that need, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India recognized the National Yogasana Sports Federation of India in December 2020.

The NYSF (National Yogasana Sports Federation) has been formed by like-minded stakeholders who intend to create a strong culture of fitness, competition, well-being, and growth through the practice and development of Yogasana. The NYSF is recognized by the India Olympic Association as its associate member and also part of the international federation ‘World Yogasana Sports Federation’.