Basant of Ganjam wins silver at Yoga event in Colombo

Berhampur: Basant Nayak of Chhatrapur in Ganjam district has won silver medal at the International Yoga Championship held in Colombo. Competitors from 17 countries participated in this Yoga championship. Basant brought laurels for India and also Odisha by winning the silver medal on August 22. He also received Asia Pacific ‘Yoga Guru’ for his holistic approach to Yoga.

Basant was felicitated by his native villagers of Aliabad in Ganjam block. Now he is eager to participate in the 2028 Olympics if Yoga is included as a new event. After the accreditation from the United Nations following the address of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an ardent proponent of Yoga, in 2014, International Yoga Day is celebrated across the world on June 21. Yoga Day events are also being held in 192 countries, including in the Arab world. Yoga is now a well-established sport which witnesses the participation of Yogis across the world.

Many practise Yoga almost daily to stay fit and healthy and Basant intends to involve more youngsters to practise Yoga and reap its benefits. “I will train the local students of my native place on Yoga to facilitate them to win more medals in the Yoga competition”, he said. Everybody must include Yogasans in their daily life systematically, he said.

Earlier, Basant, who is now continuing his studies in Karnataka and simultaneously offers training on Yoga, was honoured for his programme of prenatal Yoga classes for pregnant women for giving birth to infants without Caesarean operation.

Yoga helps pregnant women suffering from depression, reducing its severity. Prenatal Yoga could be feasible, acceptable, safe and effective for mild to moderately depressed women.

Basant learnt Yogasans from his grandfather and practised it every day. “Yoga is not only an exercise to make the body flexible but a path for inner development. Yoga is an ancient practice that harmonises mind, body and spirit through physical postures, breath control and meditation. It fosters self-discovery, inner peace, balance, flexibility, strength, mental clarity, emotional stability and spiritual awakening. The tradition has been alive since centuries”, said Basant.