Press Releases
Celebrations of the Main IDY Event on 21 June:
The Consulate General of India, Guangzhou celebrated the 10th International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2024 on the theme ‘Yoga For Self And Society’ on 21 June 2024 in Guangzhou. The Consulate cooperated with several Yoga and Ayurveda Institutes, Organizations and Indian Diaspora based in Guangzhou to mark this occasion. The event was attended by around 200 yoga enthusiasts including local Chinese students of Yoga, Members of Indian Diaspora, Consulate officials as well as their family members.
2. The Consulate General of India, Guangzhou organized the celebrations of the 10th IDY in cooperation with a well-known Yoga Institute ‘Iyengar Yogshala’ by organizing the ‘Common Yoga Protocol’ on the banks of the Pearl River in Guangzhou. During the event, Consul General Shri Shambhu Hakki delivered keynote address and mentioned about the importance of yoga for overall well-being as well as highlighted the role of the famous yoga gurus like BKS Iyenger in promoting yoga in China. He also highlighted the significance of the theme of IDY 2024 ‘Yoga for Self And Society' in his Address.
3. The Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) was led by the ICCR Yoga Teacher Ms Sumangala Nayak. She was accompanied by Ms Yao Lan, Yoga Teacher from Iyengar Yogashala to demonstrate the CYP on stage. Consul General also joined the yoga enthusiasts in performing the Common Yoga Protocol.
4. As part of the Consulate’s efforts to promote aspects of Indian culture such as Ayurveda, Mission LiFE, Meditation, Indian Vegetarian Food along with Yoga during the occasion of the 10th IDY celebrations at Iyengar Yogashala, Consul General Shri Shambhu Hakki inaugurated the ‘Experience Ayurveda Booth’ organized by the Consulate in cooperation with the Indian Ayurveda Doctors. Indian Ayurveda Doctors from Parma Eco Valley, Dr CK Ayurveda Centre and Innate Ayurveda Centre, Shenzhen provided complimentary Ayurveda Consultations to the interested participants. The Ayurveda Booth garnered significant interest among the attendees keen to learn about Ayurveda.
5. Concluding the event, Consul General thanked and appreciated everyone for their enthusiasm and felicitated the partnering yoga organization for their contribution in promoting yoga in South China. Consul General recognized the efforts of all the partnering Yoga and Ayurveda Organizations, Yoga Teachers and Indian Community Members who had organized curtain raiser events in various cities across South China, in cooperation with the Consulate, by felicitating them with a ‘Certificate of Appreciation’. Some of the yoga experts and organizations that cooperated with the Consulate in organzing events for the promotion of yoga in South China are Mr Chen from Iyengar Yogashala, Ms Cissy from Isha China, Mr Puran Chand Jeswani, CEO, China Trade Forum & Event Management Co. Ltd, Mr Ajay Kumar from Windsong Yoga, Mr Digya Pratap from Soham Yogashala Shenzhen, Mr Devipal Singh Quijing Peishan Yoga in Yunnan, Mr Sunil Bhatt from Atha Yoga Shenzhen, Mr Vasam Santosh Kumar from 7 Chakras Yoga in Hunan, Dr CK Ayurveda Centre, Parma Eco Valley (Ayurveda), Dr Mohan from Innate Ayurveda Shenzhen, Mr Sasi from Rangoli Indian Restaurant, Indian community members like Mr Limbani Arvindbhai, Mr Shaymkumar Patel, Mr Nari Buxani, Ms Karishma Punjabi and many others.
6. This was followed by a group photo session. The Consulate had also provided free yoga t-shirts and yoga mats for all the participants during the event.
Outreach Efforts by the Consulate for the preparations for the IDY 2024 and the Curtain Raiser Events:
7. The Consulate had started with the outreach initiative for the celebrations of the 10th International Day of Yoga 2024 in March 2024. An ‘International Day of Yoga 2024’ Coordination Meeting was held on 20 March which included Yoga Experts and Yoga Enthusiasts in South China both in physical and online mode. During the meeting, discussions were held on the various ways to celebrate the ‘Curtain Raiser Events’ as a run-up to the 10th IDY-2024 as well as the Main Event on 21 June 2024. Several Yoga Experts and Yoga Entrepreneurs from institutes like Isha Foundation, Iyengar YogaShala, Brahmakumaris, Parma Eco Valley and others shared their ideas. As a result the ‘Curtain Raiser Events’ as a run-up to IDY 2024 were planned in various cities under the jurisdiction of this Post. Keeping in mind the promotion of holistic aspects of ancient Indian traditions of health and well-being, the Post made efforts to include Ayurveda, Meditation Vegetarian Indian Food & other aspects of ancient Indian wisdom during the event.
Outreach Efforts by the Consulate through TIC (Yoga) from ICCR:
8. Apart from the main event organized by the Post in cooperation with Iyengar Yogashala on 21 June, the Consulate also organized various outreach efforts such as organizing 3-month ‘Special Yoga Batches’ at the Consulate on weekdays as well as weekends. These Yoga Classes were conducted by TIC (Yoga) from ICCR, Ms Sumangala Nayak. The registered participants were given ‘Free Yoga Tshirts’ to create momentum for the upcoming IDY celebrations. In addition, the Consulate also organized a ‘Free Session of Yoga for Indian Diaspora’ which was conducted by TIC (Yoga) in Regal Court on 11 May. Subsequently, another ‘Free Session of Yoga for Indian Diaspora’ from Panyu was organized at the Consulate premises on 16 June.
Curtain Raiser Events as a run-up to the celebrations of IDY 2024:
9. Several IDY curtain raiser events were also organized in various cities under the jurisdiction of the Post such as by Ms Cissy from Isha China in various location such as Shenzhen and Changsha on June 2 & 15 etc, Mr Puran Chand Jeswani, CEO, China Trade Forum & Event Management Co. Ltd in Sanya, Hainan Province on June 15, Mr Ajay Kumar from Windsong Yoga in various cities across Guangdong Province, Mr Digya Pratap from Soham Yogashala Shenzhen, Mr Devipal Singh Quijing Peishan Yoga in Yunnan on 2 June, Mr Sunil Bhatt from Atha Yoga Shenzhen on 15 June, Mr Vasam Santosh Kumar from 7 Chakras Yoga on 21 June in Hunan
10. The Consulate provided Yoga T-Shirts, soft copies of the Common Yoga Protocol and IDY Publicity Material, to all these organizations for extending their cooperation. The Consulate also posted about their IDY events on the Post’s official social media platforms. These organizations were also felicitated by the Consul General on the occasion of the main celebrations of the IDY on 21 June.
Upcoming Events:
11. The Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS) will be organizing a yoga event on 2 July 2024, as part of the post-event celebrations of the International Day of Yoga 2024.
