File photo of Minister of State for External Affairs Gen V.K. Singh.
Ahead of the first UN Yoga Day to be observed on June 21, India-China Yoga college has been inaugurated on Saturday at Yunnan Minzu University in Kunming, the first such government institution in China were the Indian spiritual art form has become very popular in recent years.
Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh along with Vice Governor of Yunnan Province Ding Shaoxiang unveiled the plaque of India-China Yoga College in Yunnan Minzu University on Saturday.
The MoU for establishing the Yoga College was signed during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to China last month.
Mr Singh, who is in Beijing to take part in the 3rd China-South Asia Expo in which India is the 'theme country, also unveiled the bust of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore presented by India to the University.
Indian Ambassador to China Ashok Kantha said it is first Yoga college in China. It will provide certification courses with Indian teachers helping with curriculum development and training.
The Indian Consulate in Guangzhou in association with Yunnan University had also organized an exhibition of the paintings of Tagore to mark his 150th birth centenary. Tagore is regarded as the most popular Indian literary personality whose works are widely translated and read in China.
The unveiling ceremony was marked by display of yoga tai-chi by the students of the university.
A number of events are planned in all top cities of China to celebrate the first International Yoga Day on June 21. Also an international Yoga conference is being held from June 21 near Chengdu to be attended by top Yoga teachers from India.
In Hong Kong too the Indian Consulate has arranged Yoga session on June 21 to be held at the harbour-front green space of Sun Yat Sen Memorial park Consulate General Prashant Agrawal said.
Chinese Yoga enthusiasts conducted Yoga sessions today at Great Wall in Beijing, besides Shanghai, Hangzou and Xiamen as part of Yoga campaign organised Sri Sri Ravishankar's Art of Living, Bangalore in 100 cities in the world.