Odisha Boy Wins Silver Medal At International Yoga Championship In Colombo

Berhampur: Basant Nayak from Odisha has won silver medal in the International Yoga Championship held at Colombo in Sri Lanka.

Competitors from 17 countries participated in this yoga championship held on August 22. Basant, belonging to Chhatrapur in Ganjam district secured silver medal in the competition and also received Asia Pacific ‘Yoga Guru’ for his holistic approach to Yoga.

Basant was felicitated by his villagers of Aliabad under Karapada panchayat in Chatrapur. Basant said he intended to involve more youngsters to practice Yoga and take the benefit. “I will train the local students of my native place on Yoga to facilitate them to get more medals for the country,” he said.

Advising everybody to include Yogasans in their daily life, he said he was eager to participate in 2028 Olympics if Yoga is included as a new event.

Basant, who is now continuing his studies in Karnataka and simultaneously gives training on Yoga, was honoured earlier for his programme of prenatal yoga classes tailored for pregnant women for giving birth to infants without caesarean operation.

“Yoga helps pregnant women suffering from depression by reducing its severity. Prenatal yoga could be feasible, acceptable, safe and effective for mild to moderately depressed women,” he said.

Basant learnt Yoga from his grandfather and started practising from childhood.  “Yoga is not only an exercise to make the body flexible but a path for inner development. Yoga is an ancient practice that harmonises mind, body, and spirit through physical postures, breath control, and meditation. It fosters self-discovery, inner peace, balance, flexibility, strength, mental clarity, emotional stability, and spiritual awakening. The tradition has been alive since centuries”, said Basant.