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HT EXCLUSIVE: On International Day of Yoga, PM Modi’s personal yoga consultant gives us a peek into his routine
On International Yoga Day, we talk to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal yoga consultant, HR Nagendra, to get to know him as a ‘yogi’.
It is widely known that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought the art of yoga into the spotlight, but do you know that there isn’t a single day when he doesn’t take out the time for yoga, or that he is dedicated to the avartan dhyan practice.
On International Yoga Day, we exclusively talk to PM’s personal yoga consultant, HR Nagendra, as he shares a glimpse of Modi’s dedication towards the ancient practice, calling him a ‘devoted Yoga Sadhaka’.
“It’s very heartening to note that Modi ji is a devoted Yoga Sadhaka himself and he regularly practices yoga in spite of having such a busy schedule. Avartan Dhyan or cyclic meditation, which I had conceptualised years ago, is one practice that he religiously follows every day,” Nagendra tells us.
The principle of this meditation is to stimulate the body, followed by deep relaxation of the body and mind.
“Modi ji’s dedication towards yoga is so high that even if he’s travelling around the world, he never fails to dedicate some time to his yoga routine,” mentions Nagendra, lauding Modi for leading the proposal to make July 21 as International Day of Yoga, which the United Nation’s General Assembly accepted in 2014.
Nagendra further reveals that Modi’s fondness for yoga is not just limited to the practice of asanas that strengthen physical health, but “he’s also focused on strengthening the mind to achieve a state of holistic health and well-being”.
In fact, yoga plays a very important role in helping people find a way to good health in the times of Covid-19 crisis.
“The pandemic has given us the opportunity to stay home, work on family relations and spend more time with them. However, this quarantine or isolation has also impacted the mind negatively. Hence, it’s imperative for us to practice and introduce yoga at home to help tackle mental issues such as depression and anxiety,” shares Nagendra, the Chancellor, S-VYASA, President, Indian Yoga Association.
He suggests everyone to include “Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Karma Yoga, Pranayama, Kriyas and relaxation techniques” into their life for holistic living.
