19TH PONDICHERRY STATE & 1ST TAMIL NADU STATE YOGA SPORT CHAMPIONSHIP 2004 CONCLUDES

November 15, 2004

The 19th Pondicherry State and 1st Tamil Nadu State Invitation YOGA SPORT CHAMPIONSHIP 2004 organised by the Pondicherry Yogasana Association concluded with a spectacular Award Ceremony on Children’s Day, November 14th 2004. It was apt that numerous children from all over Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry were felicitated in recognition of their skill in Yoga Sport.

More than 600 competitors from Pondicherry and all over Tamil Nadu participated in this championship that had the blessings of the International Yoga Federation (South America), the International Council for Yoga Sport (New Delhi and South America), Asian Union of Yoga (New Delhi), Indian Yoga Federation (Kolkata) and the Tamil Nadu State Yogasana Association (Chennai).

Nearly 750 medals and 1500 merit certificates were won by the worthy winners in 8 events such as common group, front bending, back bending, twisting, standing and hand balancing Yogasanas spread over 6 age groups ranging from the below 5 years to the above 40 years categories.

Eight Championship Awards were presented on the occasion including four from Pondicherry and four from Tamil Nadu. Below 16 years female Championship went to T Mritika of Pondicherry and Mariyaee of Karur while awards for the male category went to M Swarooparamanan of Pondicherry and S Santhosh of Kanchipuram. In the above 16 years category, G Dayanidy of Pondicherry and A Kumar of Karur bagged the male championship award while the female awards went to G Saranya of Pondicherry and Tamaraiselvi of Kanchipuram.

Chief Guest at the Award Ceremony, Shri K Lakshminarayanan, Minster for Education, Tourism and Sports, Government of Pondicherry distributed the Championship Awards and assured all participants that Yoga Sport would be included in the Pondicherry Sports Council at the earliest. He congratulated the Pondicherry Yogasana Association for holding the event 19 times since its inception in 1975.

Yogasana Chakravathy Dr Asana R Andiappan, President of the Tamil Nadu State Yogasana Association and Yogi T A Krishnan, vice president TNSYA also graced the occasion and honoured Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani on the occasion. Dr S Viswanathan, Coordinator, Centre for Yoga Studies at Annamalai University praised Amma and Dr Ananda for organizing the event and welcomed the Yoga students to take up the university level Yoga studies and develop themselves further. Dr Govindarajulu, Head, Dept of Sports, Pondicherry University remembered the selfless service of Dr Swami Gitananda Giri for the cause of Yoga Sport and requested the government of Pondicherry to give financial support to such Yoga sport events. Shri CK Manoharun, Vice President Pondicherry Yogasana Association presented prizes to numerous

winners of various events on the occasion.

Dr Sugatham, director SADAY School for Special Children coordinated a Yoga Demonstration by 9 students of the school who are undergoing Yoga training under G Dayanidy on behalf of Yoganjali Natyalayam. It was an emotional moment for all to witness the joy on the faces of the children as they performed the Yogasanas to thunderous applause from the packed audience.

Earlier, the Yoga Sport Championship 2004 was inaugurated on the 12th November and Shri Neela Gangadharan, Chairman PT & TDC inaugurated the championship with a call to the youth to take up Yoga and develop themselves through this wonderful treasure of India. He praised the work of Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj and Amma, Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi in taking Yoga to all section of the Indian society as well as to all part of the globe. Shri AM Krishnamurthy, MLA Reddiyarpalayam constituency and Shri R Siva, MLA Orleanpet constituency complimented the PYA office bearers for their activities and assured them of all necessary support for Yoga Sport. Shri R Venkatraman, Managing Director of the popular Tamil daily Dinamalar, Yogacharini Dr Nalini Devi of Spanish

Gitananda Yoga, Yogacharini Maitreyi of the Arkaya Awareness Centre, at Chennai and Yogacharya Hariharan of the Swiss Gitananda Yoga felicitated the PYA on organizing this event for the benefit of all Yoga enthusiasts. Coordinator of the Centre for Yoga Studies at Pondicherry University, Dr D Sakthignanavel reiterated the necessity of Yoga education at University level. Shri V Anbazhagan, President, Puduchery Yoga & Naturopathy Association congratulated Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani on being named International Cultural Yoga Ambassador and presented a commendation on the occasion. Dr M Madhavan of the Vivekananda Institute of Yoga Therapy, Karur, Sri A Annadurai, Coordinator (Yoga), Pondicherry University Community College and Shri S Arikrishnan, President, Pondicherry Yoga Teachers Association also spoke on the occasion.

On the occasion Shri Neela Gangadharan also released “A Primer of Yoga Theory”, the new Yoga Theory book complied by Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani. 16 Yoga Sadhaks from Canada, Switzerland, Italy,

Germany, Spain, England, Australia, USA, Czech Republic and Holland undergoing their Yoga teachers training at Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry also attended the event and presented many prizes to the winners.

Eight dedicated Yoga teachers of Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu were honoured with the title award of “YOGA CHEMMAL” at the valedictory function in recognition of their efforts in the field of Yoga and Yoga Sport. The awardees include Dr M Madhavan of Karur, Sri D Sudhakar of Kanchipuram, Sri A Annadurai of Chennai, Sri P Venkatesan of Vilupuram as well as Smt Lalitha Shanmugam, Sri E Gajendiran, Sri V Anbazhagan and Sri D Kumaran of Pondicherry. 12 members of the PYA were also inducted into the PYA jury board on the occasion and honoured with certificates and ID cards.

Dr Ananda thanked the sincere volunteers who made the event a grand success including Samiksha Kapoor, R Varalakshmi, M Shailaja, U Parinitha, S Tamilsengolan, G Dayanidy, Sri Sendhilkumar and Sri Kulandaivelu. He also thanked the treasurer Sri C Shanmugam for his dedication towards ensuing the success of the championship. He also thanked Karthik Group of Hotels, ICYER, Jyothi Eye Care Centre, Integra Software Services, Creations Constructions, Jewel Palace, Tamil Nadu-Andhra Transport, Sri Rajendra Scientific & Surgicals, Saratha’s and Yoganjali Natyalayam who sponsored the event.

Yogacharya Dr.Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani

Chairman : Yoganjali Natyalayam and ICYER

25,2nd Cross,Iyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry-605 013

Tel: 0413 - 2622902 / 0413 -2241561

Website: www.icyer.com

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