World Yoga Day observed at SOA

Bhubaneswar, June 21: A large number of students, faculty members and others took part in yoga exercises at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) on World Yoga Day even as Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Kumar Mahapatra urged the youth to reduce cell phone use and focus on yoga for healthy living. “The young people, who are hooked to mobile phones, are facing the problem of loss of concentration at a time when there is a need for maintaining balance between mental and physical well-being. Yoga can help achieve this,” Prof. (Dr.) Mahapatra said. The program was organised by SOA NSS, Wellness Centre and the university which was also virtually addressed by Dr. H.R.Nagendra, Chancellor of Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana. Swami Atmaprabhananda, Secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission in Bhubaneswar who addressed the gathering, advocated inclusion of yoga in the school curriculum. Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, SOA’s Dean (Students’ Welfare), also spoke on the occasion. Earlier, the participants listened to the speech of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi at the World Yoga Day program organised at Mysore which was live-streamed. SOA’s Yoga instructor Mr. Akhil Chandra Rana led the students and faculty members in yoga exercises. The program was also attended by Ms. Sarita Patel, Regional Director of NSS and Prof. Bijay Kumar Sahu, Dean of Institute of Agricultural Sciences, SOA’s faculty of agricultural sciences. Prof. Nachieketa K. Sharma, SOA’s Director, University Outreach Program and Chief Coordinator, NSS, presented a report about the two month long virtual yoga camp organised in the university. Prof. Saroj Kumar Mohanty, Program Officer, NSS, proposed the vote of thanks.