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YOGA DAY 2023

Millions of people around the globe, including our country, are followers of yoga practices and postulates, and therefore, nine years ago, the UN General Assembly established a special holiday dedicated to yoga. Two years ago, it was included in the World Intangible Cultural Heritage List, and now the programs to promote yoga are being implemented with the support of UNESCO.

The first International Yoga Day took place on June 21^st, 2015. Tomsk can be proud of being one of the very first cities in the country and on the planet to support the tradition of celebration.

This happened because of the active support of our “Indian company with Siberian heart”, which became the main sponsor of the event. Since then, IE, together with the Administration of Tomsk region and the Embassy of the Republic of India in the Russian Federation, has been one of the permanent organizers of the Yoga Day in Tomsk, and the management and employees of the group of companies are always happy to take part in the celebration.

This year, the venue of celebration was the Governor’s Square. About two hundred yoga followers gathered on the lawn near the Drama Theatre, including our Russian and Indian colleagues with their families. The IE team, led by Chief Executive Officer Saket Gupta, numbered over 30 people.

Giving the speech at the solemn opening ceremony of the holiday, our “captain” warmly greeted all the participants.

- Yoga is not just gymnastics, it is a special way of life, which is based on the values of peace, kindness, respect for nature and others. I am very pleased to see that a lot of people in Tomsk, as well as there in India, are in love with yoga. Yoga brings our peoples closer, and the fact that today we, the citizens of India, Russia and other countries, will practice together clearly confirms this, Mr. Gupta said.

Then the instructors from the leading Tomsk yoga studios and centers held master classes and performances, introducing the townspeople to asanas and the principles of proper breathing. The highlight of the program was a group practice and meditation conducted by Alexey Sartakov, founder of the Lakshmi Yoga Center, in accordance with a video tutorial specially sent from the Embassy of India in Russia.

Our colleague Elena Zapara, Chief Specialist of the Planning and Economy Department, is a kundalini yoga instructor and, of course, never misses the opportunity to participate in the celebration.

- I think that the Yoga Day is a wonderful tradition that shows any beginner that yoga is not some terribly difficult exercises where you need to tie yourself in a knot, but a practice that is quite accessible to anyone. Green grass on the lawn near the Drama Theatre, a breeze from the river, a group field of energy of like-minded people… Practicing in such conditions is a pleasure! It was also great to talk and work out with Indian and Russian colleagues. Joint leisure improves our mutual understanding in the process of work, - Elena said.

Next year, the Yoga Day will be held again – it is already impossible to imagine the city or the corporate calendar of events without this good tradition.