The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) has
signed a pact with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) under which
both institutions will jointly develop academic links for conducting various
Yoga courses globally.

Dr I V Basavaraddi, Director, MDNIY, and Dinesh K Patnaik,
Director General, ICCR, signed the Memorandum of Understanding at a formal
ceremony held at New Delhi recently.

“The agreement will facilitate Yoga Education based on Indian
traditions get an international dimension. The synergies of this partnership
will help the promotion of Indian classical Yoga in different parts of the
world. It will promote the spread of authentic Yoga practices through
certification of Yoga professionals,” said Dr Basavaraddi.

Meanwhile, a virtual Yoga event was organized on October 18
on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet at
Beijing. Officials from India and China as well as diplomats from the various
SCO countries attended the event.

The SCO comprises of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, China,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.

The presentation held at the meeting ‘Yoga@SCO’ projected
Yoga as a pursuit that goes beyond race, colour, faith, religion, and region. “Yoga
brings people together around the world,” said Vikram Misri, Ambassador of
India to the People’s Republic of China.

The event was yet another indication of Yoga’s global appeal
and part of India’s contribution to strengthening cultural cooperation among
SCO countries