Yoga Federation of India seeks sports status for yoga

CHANDIGARH: Yoga Federation of India today urged the Government of India to include yoga in the list of sports so that those participating in it could be benefitted.

A demand to this effect was made by the federation at its meeting held here under the leadership of its working president Dev Dutt Sharma here today.

After the meeting, Sharma said that it was decided unanimously to approach the centre so that yoga could be declared as sports.

"If yoga is declared as sports then its participants will be benefitted by medals and preference in government jobs," he said.

"Yoga is mother of all games," he said, adding that few states in the country had included it in the list of sports.

The meeting was attended among others by federation secretary K C Sharma and and General Secretary Ashok Aggarwal.

Dev Dutt said that the federation also decided to organise international yoga day on June 21 in a big way.

"Federation has directed its units in all the states and union territories to hold programmes to generate awareness for mental and physical health on yoga day," he said.

Aggarwal, who is also President of Asian Yoga Federation, said as part of yoga day the federation will hold seminars, debates and conduct championships to create awareness about yoga among the people.

He said that the fifth Asian Yoga championship will be held in Bangkok from June 19-21. The championship will be held under the aegis of Yoga Federation of India.