Lucknow: Marking the spirit of unity, wellness, and tradition, Dr. Shakuntala Mishra National Rehabilitation University in Lucknow celebrated the 11th International Yoga Day with a grand collective yoga session involving 950 teachers, officials, staff, and students. The event was held in the Badminton Wooden Court and Track Field of the Amenities Block and began at 6:30 AM.
The celebration was held under the guidance of Mahant Shri Shri 1008 Mahamandaleshwar Yogacharya Dr. Mahesh Yogi from Hanuman Garhi Siddh Peeth, Ayodhya. He was accompanied by yoga practitioners Brijesh Dubey and Ritambhara Dubey, who contributed to the spiritual and instructional ambiance of the occasion.
In his keynote address, Dr. Mahesh Yogi emphasized that International Yoga Day is a gift from India’s ancient rishis. “India is the land of search, while the world is the land of research,” he said, asserting that India’s sages laid the foundations of wisdom thousands of years ago — wisdom the world is now exploring. He encouraged students to transcend limits and reawaken India’s spiritual and intellectual consciousness through discipline and self-exploration.
Vice-Chancellor Acharya Sanjay Singh, presiding over the event, described yoga as a symbol of the unity between body and mind. “In today’s conflict-ridden world, yoga is an essential path to peace. True victory lies not in defeating others but in mastering oneself,” he said. He added that adopting Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga can lead to inner energy and meaningful living. The Vice-Chancellor also announced daily yoga sessions at the university led by the Yoga Department.
Leading up to the main event, the university hosted an array of pre-Yoga Day activities between June 2 and June 20, including yoga workshops, morning rallies, literary discussions on yoga, group Surya Namaskars, and exhibitions, culminating in the mass yoga demonstration on June 21.
The occasion was also marked by a tree plantation drive supported by the University Beautification and Infrastructure Development Committee, where kachnar saplings were planted near the Swami Vivekananda Central Library by the Vice-Chancellor and other dignitaries.
Prominent attendees included Registrar Rohit Singh, Finance Officer Shrinivas Tripathi, Controller of Examinations Dr. Amit Kumar Rai, Dean of Academics Prof. V.K. Singh, Chief Proctor Prof. C.K. Dixit, Director of Sports and Yoga Prof. P. Rajeev Nayan, Director Prof. Ashwani Dubey, Dean Prof. Avneesh Chandra Mishra, Prof. R.K. Srivastava, Chief Provost Prof. Virendra Singh Yadav, Dr. Pushpendra Mishra, Deputy Registrar Anil Kumar Mishra, Dr. Ranjit Kumar, Dr. Vijay Kumar Verma, and Dr. Brijesh Rai, among many others.
Dr. Kaushiki Singh coordinated the program, while Registrar Rohit Singh delivered the vote of thanks, concluding a day dedicated to health, discipline, and India’s timeless heritage.
