Curtains fall on two-day International Yoga Conference  Pass on yoga as a spiritual gift to children: Kamlesh Patel

Mysuru:  “Yoga and meditation should pass on to future generations similar to other traditions,” said Kamlesh D. Patel, Founder, Shri Ram Chandra Mission, Hyderabad,  here yesterday. 

He was speaking during the technical session on ‘Heartful Meditation’ at the ongoing International Yoga Conference at Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) Convocation Hall in Muktagangothri here. “Children must be motivated to take up yoga and meditation that help in enhancing their performance in academics and sports,” he said.

Stating that yoga must be passed on as a spiritual gift, he called upon parents to join their children in practising yoga and meditation.

Later, Priya Patil, a 9th standard student from Pune, demonstrated the effects of Brighter Mind, a training programme she has been attending. During the demonstration, Priya, with a blindfold, was able to predict what was written on the board and could also guess what clothes the person standing in front was wearing. 

She also said that walking for 40 minutes three times a week would increase the memory power. 

The event also witnessed experts from different fields deliberating on various topics at Ganga Auditorium and Cauvery Auditorium in KSOU campus.

Dr. Christopher Key Chapple, Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology and Director, Master of Arts in Yoga Studies, Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, spoke on ‘Heart Health, using classical narrative and translation’; Dr. R. Nagarathna, Dean and Medical Director, Arogyadhama, SVYASA, Bengaluru, spoke on ‘Yoga and Coronary Artery Disease’; Dr. Piyush Ranjan, Additional Professor, Department of AYUSH, AIIMS, Delhi, spoke on ‘Yoga as an alternate to moderate intensive physical exercise: What is the evidence?’

Speaking at the valedictory event, Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State, Ministry of AYUSH, urged the delegates to spread the knowledge gained during the two-day conference among others. 

Stating that the youth had the responsibility of taking forward yoga to future generation, he urged the youth to take up research works in yoga. 

Prof. S. Vidyashankar, Vice-Chancellor, KSOU, said that number of people suffering from heart ailments was on the rise and added that practising yoga could reduce the chances of one suffering from heart diseases. 

Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, Dr. Dharmendra Singh Gangwar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, P.K. Pathak, Additional Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, Dr. I.V. Basava Reddy, Director of Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, New Delhi, Meenakshi Negi, Commissioner, Department of AYUSH, Government of Karnataka, Javed Akhtar, Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka and others were present.

A total of 700 delegates from across the country and world took part in the two-day International Conference. 

The event also witnessed 12 resources persons sharing their experiences with the delegates.