The three day International Conference on “Yoga for Diabetes” was inaugurated by Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent  Charge), Shri Shripad Yesso Naik  in New Delhi today.  In his inaugural address, the Minister informed  that UNESCO, the world’s apex body for culture has recently included yoga in its list of intangible cultural heritage.  This is yet another recognition of the universal relevance of yoga and will add to its respectability across national borders, the Minister added.

Shri Naik said  that  this conference aims to generate discussions on the role of Yoga in the prevention and management of Diabetes and to draw up a roadmap to be adopted for the control of Diabetes through Yoga. It will provide a common platform for the Allopathy and AYUSH practitioners, Researchers, Academicians, Policy makers and students to come together in the fight against diabetes.

Approximately 400 delegates and 50 experts from India and abroad are expected to participate in the Conference. Eminent experts of conventional medicine, AYUSH systems as well as Yoga are participating in the Conference.  The three days Conference consists of main and parallel sessions on different aspects of Yoga & Diabetes including research, policy making and panel discussion.

Diabetes is spreading at a very fast pace in India, particularly in urban population. It is no more restricted to the older population as younger generation is also becoming prone to this disease.

Hon’ble Prime Minister, while addressing the 2^nd International day of Yoga celebration at Chandigarh, said the following: 

Let's focus on one thing in the coming days, how to mitigate diabetes through yoga. Diabetes can surely be controlled through yoga.

Keeping this in view, Ministry of AYUSH has initiated several programmes for creating awareness about the role of Yoga in the prevention and management of Diabetes mellitus. Ministry of AYUSH constituted an Expert Committee to prepare a Common Yoga Protocol for control of Diabetes mellitus under the chairmanship of Dr. H. R. Nagendra. The Committee finalized the same. The said booklet was released by the Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi on 2^nd October, 2016 on the occasion of Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas in New Delhi.

On this occasion the minister released the  book on Yoga  in which selected research papers from 2001 to 2016 are  compiled. Shri Naik also released 2017 calendar on Yoga and Diabetes.

NB/SK