Introduce yoga as part of educational curriculum: RSS

Terming yoga the country's "civilisational contribution" to the world, RSS on Sunday called for its inclusion in educational curriculum in India.

Hailing the UN move to name June 21 as the 'International Day of Yoga', it also urged that steps be taken to promote it in social life.

A resolution to this effect was adopted at the Akhil Bhartiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), which is the Sangh's top decision and policy-making body.

"The ABPS urges the Union and state governments to carry forward this initiative by introducing yoga as a part of the curriculum in education, supporting research in yoga and taking all possible efforts for promoting yoga in social life," the resolution said.

ABPS also appealed to "all the countrymen, including swayamsevaks, people of Bharatiya origin and yoga followers" to endeavour earnestly for spreading yoga for making the globe happy, healthy and sustainable.

Stating that the declaration of June 21 as International Yoga Day had brought "cheer and immense pride" to all the Indians and millions of yoga practitioners around the globe, the resolution said, "Yoga is Bharat's civilisational contribution to the world."

It expressed joy that the proposal for an International Yoga Day moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his UN General Assembly speech last year had received an unprecedented response.

Yoga is not limited to physical exercise but is essentially a holistic way of life leading to the union of body and mind and intellect and soul, the RSS resolution said.