The Teacher and disciple association between Padma Shree Dr HR Nagendra also Chancellor of the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana Arogyadhama(S-VYASA) deemed to be a University here near Jigani in Anekal Taluk of the Bengaluru Rural district and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a long history of about four decades.
A visitor from 1982: Padma Shree Dr HR Nagendra, dwelling over the four decades-long association recalled to Hindusthan Samachar in an exclusive interview-“The Prime Minister has been a regular visitor to the S-VYASA since the early eighties. He came here for the first time in 1982 and from then onward he has been a regular visitor. HV Seshadri, a veteran RSS leader and my uncle used to stay here in the Prashanti Kuteeram. Usually, all national-level RSS leaders and functionaries kept visiting him right from 1979-80…
…Inaugurated the Reception building in 1983: Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited S-VYASA in 1982 for the first time it was only blossoming of a long-drawn relationship. He was very much impressed with the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, jelling well with the people around here. Then onward he made it a practice to keep visiting S-VYASA. During these visits to HV Seshadriji, he used to stay back for a month or so. In fact, he inaugurated the present Reception building in 1983.
Annual Chinthana Bhaithak: “Once he became the Gujarat Chief Minister, he started the practice of holding 2-3 days annual Chinthana Bhaithak along with his cabinet colleagues among many a other. These events were held on the outskirts of the city of Ahmadabad and the participants were divided into two groups like the CM and his cabinet colleagues while the others formed the remaining group”, reminds Padma Shree Dr HR Nagendra.
The first visitor: He also happily reminisces-“In all these meets the Chief Minister Narendra Modi himself used to be the first visitor. I also happened to be part of these gatherings for 4-5 years. Thanks to such camps and interactions with the CM, he understood the significance of practising Yoga on a daily basis. That’s how Yoga became part of the school curriculum in Gujarat giving a boost to imparting Yoga training to the teachers.
A fantastic student: Padma Shree Dr HR Nagendra gets elated when you ask him to rate the Prime Minister as his Yoga pupil. He spares no time in acknowledging-“He is a fantastic man and a role model apart from belonging to a rare species among the political leaders. Every day, he practices Yoga for about an hour. Maybe, the last few days he might have done almost one and half hours, for World Yoga Day. Even today, a Yoga teacher on our behalf helps him out in the daily routine. A Yoga tutor suggested him place the left hand on the top instead of the right one. Then, he had to be reminded by the PM himself that it is the other way round. In that way, he’s very perfect and accurate”.
Are you busier than the Prime Minister? The Chancellor of the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana Arogyadhama(S-VYASA) is quick enough to hit back at all those finding excuses under the guise of the paucity of time for not being able to practice Yoga regularly. He shot back-“Are you much busier than the Prime Minister for not being able to practice Yoga on a daily basis?
Indira Gandhi used to practice Yoga: On the tendency among the political class to practice Yoga, Guruji as he is fondly revered, Padma Shree Dr HR Nagendra asserts-“These days, there could be any number of them doing it. The late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi also had the habit of practising Yoga daily under the guidance of Dhirendra Brahmachari. Even the French President was doing so. Many chief ministers also do it”.
Yoga should not be a one-day affair: Ask him about the impact the World Yoga Day, he becomes categorical-“Yoga should not be a one-day affair and it should become an integral part of our daily routine system. Good lots of efforts have been made rigorously for a pretty long period of time to ensure the success of the international day celebrations. We have taken part in meetings stretching up to 1 AM for more than 15 days as part of the preparations”.
Yoga teachers to have a great future: He agrees that the Yoga teachers are bound to have a great future in the days to come-“There’s no doubt on the growth of Yoga related activities. A separate AYUSH ministry has come up. Many Yoga competitions are being organized by the Department of Sports as part of propagating Yoga activities. The Departments of Yoga are coming up all over the country. Even children have started practising Yoga in a big way just like anyone religiously doing so to compete in the Olympics”.
Seven years old performs 250 asanas: Guruji also was thrilled to reveal the terrific accomplishments of Nikhita, a seven years Bengaluru kid and daughter of a former S-VYASA student couple-“Nikhita excels in doing Yogasana and outsmarts even Baba Ramdev by performing about 250 asanas! She’s an amazing prodigy in making. In order to develop mastery of doing the asana, she gets up daily as early as 3 AM and continues practising up to 6 Am. And in order to be fit enough to keep practising continuously, she is also very rigid in her diet, forget ever consuming any junk food”.
WYD participation may touch 25 crores: Thanks to the Inter Ministry committee and Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Cabinet Minister of Ayush along with Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and the hectic efforts by volunteers across the country and globe, Padma Shree is jubilant to proclaim-“This year’s World Yoga Day celebrations is set to skyrocket participation of not less than 25 crores worldwide! Last year, it was 18 crores. The Union Minister began preparations 100 days back and set targets from day one, after 25 days, 50 days and 75 days. All such measures are bound to reap the desired results”.
-Manohar Yadavatti
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