Grand celebrations of the 8th International Day of Yoga 2022

Celebrations of the 8th International Day of Yoga organised by Consulate General of India, Birmingham

The International Day of Yoga is celebrated globally every year. Over 170 countries from all round the world participate and celebrate it on international level by organising various activities like yoga sessions, demonstration camps, competitions at various iconic places to enhance the awareness about yoga. This year the celebrations are especially important as India is celebrating its 75 years of Independence or Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. It is an elixir of energy of independence. This Mahotsav is a festival of awakening of the nation; festival of fulfilling the dream of good governance; and the festival of global peace and development. Several events are being celebrated to mark the occasion.

Each year the International Day of Yoga has a specific theme, this year it is ‘Yoga for Humanity’. To spread the awareness of the theme, Consulate General of India, Birmingham, organised a month-long event to celebrate the 8th International Day of Yoga with a series of specially curated Yoga sessions. Celebrations started in January itself with the launch of the Free Indian Yoga classes at the Consulate, which is a regular class operating at the Consulate premises every week providing opportunity to discover the various aspects of India's age-old approach to well-being of yoga asanas and make it accessible to a large number of people in the Midlands and North England. Though there were number of events held for the entire month, the main celebrations was organised at the Victoria Square, Birmingham.

The final grand Mega event - Yoga on the Square was organised at the Victoria Square in Birmingham to celebrate the 8th International Day of Yoga on 21st June, 2022. Yoga enthusiasts from Midlands and North England thronged the Square to celebrate the amazing rejuvenating session with the Consulate. The celebrations started with the lightening of the lamp by Consul General Dr Shashank Vikram, Mr Simon Topman, Leader of Birmingham Group of Deputy Lieutenants and other dignitaries. It was soon followed by a refreshing speech by Consul General Dr Shashank Vikram, he said that the 8th International Day of Yoga is especially important as this year marks the India@75 celebrations and Yoga has become one of the biggest mass movements in the quest for good health & well-being. It has also become a trendsetter in maintaining both physical & mental well-being especially in this pandemic driven world. Thereafter, Mr. Simon Topman, Leader of Birmingham Group of Deputy Lieutenants spoke on the relevance of Yoga in sports and games especially when Birmingham is preparing for the Commonwealth Games 2022. Eventually a splendid Yoga protocol session was conducted by Dr Madhu Gowda and the Central Birmingham rejoiced the Holistic approach of living. The Yoga enthusiasts in full fervour practiced the asanas. Felicitations followed thereafter to Mr Ashok Kumar, Ayurveda Specialists and Dr Poonam Gulia, Chief Physician Dr Ashok's Ayurveda Clinic for their incredible support. The event finally concluded with the closing remarks from the Head of Chancery Mr Hitesh Saxena, with a hope that with passing year the event will get bigger and better.

Other than the above main event, series of other Yoga sessions were jointly cohosted by the Consulate with different organisations of Midlands and North England celebrating the common theme ‘Yoga for Humanity’
 

• On 9th May, 2022, the George Dixon Academy in Birmingham organised a special rejuvenation session which was thoroughly enjoyed by the cademics and staff

• On Sunday 11th June a Yoga session was organised at the University of Leeds, community of Leeds actively participated and enjoyed the session. • On 12th June a group of senior elderly British people residing at the Keighley at Norwood House, an iconic care home in the Yorkshire Region benefitted from the Yoga conducted with our partner Indian organisation in Leeds.

• On 12th June, the vibrant community of Lincolnshire along with the Consulate hosted a revival session at the Boston Stump, in Lincolnshire, which is a jewel among English parish churches with highest tower among parish churches in the country
 

• On 14th June, the Consulate along with India Institute University of Birmingham hosted a rejuvenation for the athletes/sportsperson & academics at the Sports Centre of University of Birmingham .
 

• The Brahmakumaris of Leicester enthusiastically joined hands with the Consulate to celebrate the Yoga at Harmony House, Leicester on 14th June, 2022.
 

• On 18th June, the International Day of Yoga was celebrated at the Sant Nirankari Mission in Wednesbury. Communities of Midlands across age groups gathered to perform the yoga protocols.
 

• The vibrant community of Leeds in North England participated Yoga at one of the biggest city parks in Europe the Roundhay Park on 19th June, 2022
 

• Another amazing Yoga session was held on 19th June at the MediaCityUK in Manchester. The Indian association Manchester actively organised the session with the support of the Consulate.
 

• On 19th June, a wonderful yoga session was held in the Coventry, the UK City of Culture, where enthusiastic members of British Organisation for People of Asian-origin with the Consulate took part in front of the Romantic Canal Basin in Coventry
 

• Another spectacular yoga session was organised with the Patanjali Yog Peeth (UK) Trust, Nottingham at the Wollaton Hall & Deer Park Nottingham
 

• On 20th June, fascinating Yoga Session was organised in the garden of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust at the beautiful Stratford Upon Avon
 

• A special Kundalini yoga session was organised at the Walsall Cricket club for the young sportsmen
 

• The Vedic Organization for Indian Culture and Education, Manchester also organised a rejuvenating session at the Green beautiful Walton Park Sale in Manchester
 

• Yogis from the Ayurveda clinic, Birmingham performed various Yoga Asanas in the Gandhi Peace Centre of Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple, Tividale in Dudley.
 

• In Lancashire several yoga event were organised with the support of Sky Yoga Group such as a Roundtable - Yoga 360 - Room EIC 315, University of Central Lancashire Preston, Yoga for Health and Peace at the Langho community hall, Ribble Valley and an exclusive session on Yoga and World Peace was held at the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple, Preston
 

• PatOn 23rd June, another yoga event took place near the the iconic Albert Docks and Liver Building in Liverpool in association with the Indian communities of Liverpool, both Indian and British yoga enthusiasts thronged near the Dock and performed the asanas enthusiastically.
More than 19 events were jointly organised with different associations across Midlands and North England. These sessions encouraged the participants to imbibe yoga in their daily lives to ensure that this ancient form of physical and spiritual exercise will help them to overcome the stress and ailments of today’s modern-day life.