India Sends Yoga Teachers to Promote Indian Culture Around the World

Yoga, reiki and pranic healing will take centre-stage in yoga camps around the world, led by an army of “culture diplomats”. 

More than 24 yoga teachers have been sent overseas to various parts of Europe, Africa and the USA to endorse Indian culture, philosophy and Veda in a cultural mission that is assumed to help establish India globally as a soft power. The activities will be conducted through yoga camps and discussions by “culture diplomats” who hold a Bachelor’s degree in addition to a Diploma/Certificate course in yoga. The 24 teachers have been carefully selected by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Sources suggest that the teachers are knowledgeable about Indian history, belief systems, traditions and heritage, and have had teaching experience in English for over five years. The lectures, workshops and camps will be based on the ethnic skills of naturopathy, pranic healing, reiki and various others.

Indian culture teacher Mox Raj, one of the “cultural diplomats” who is currently in Washington DC to teach yoga to the officials of the Indian Embassy told The Indian Express, “The objective is to have trained yoga teachers and volunteers in all American states, who would then train others.” Two of his fellow teachers have been sent to New York and Chicago for the cultural mission, and other colleagues are heading towards Budapest, Suva (Fiji), Brussels, Guatemala City, Reykjavik (Iceland), Mahe (Seychelles), Lilongwe (Malawi), Kingston (Jamaica), Maputo (Mozambique), Nicosia (Cyprus), Kiev (Ukraine), Hong Kong, Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea), Bratislava (Slovak), Manama (Bahrain), Geneva and Minsk (Belarus).

This peaceful cultural charge by India will also soon be delegating dancers skilled in the dance forms of Odissi, Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi.