International Day of Yoga – Flagship of India’s Soft Diplomacy
RAMESH CHANDER
(Asian independent) On the initiative of the GOI under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi in 2014, UN declared June 21 as International Day of Yoga for ‘Promotion of global health, harmony and peace. It was an appreciable initiative which was rightly endorsed by the international community under the aegis of the world body, United Nation Organisation (UNO). Yoga, an ancient Indian exercise, is a good idea
of holistic wellness of body and mind. International Day of Yoga gave further strength and impetus to the India’s cultural and soft diplomacy after GOI’s successful action in getting declared October
2, birthday of Mahatma Gandhi as International Day of Non-violence in 2007 under the stewardship of PM Manmohan Singh. The day aimed to spread the message of non-violence through education and public awareness, around the world. It reflected universal respect for Gandhi and his philosophy India being one of the largest countries in the world and also the biggest democracy with sound credentials of civilizational back-up is much to contribute and offer many more props to the world and rightly so.
‘We the people of India’ proudly own the legacy of Vivekananda, Aurbindo, Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Bose among others. The lofty
thoughts of these personalities are as relevant today as these were before, with reference to India’s cultural ethos of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्” – the world is one family, one of the cardinal principles of India’s foreign policy. It goes without saying that India should pay little more attention to this aspect of its cultural and soft diplomacy.
Let me mention about a specific case in this regard – proposal to declare April 14, birthday of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, as International Day of Equality which was made and registered in June, 2015 with the then EAM Sushma Swaraj in the run upto to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar, one of the greatest sons of India and an ardent proponent of socio-economic equality in India and the world at large. The proposal was supported by the Forum of Scheduled Caste MPs and submitted to PM Narendra Modi in November, 2015. Since then, in spite of constant follow up, the proposal is resting with MEA/PMO. My latest blog on the subject would provide more information on the proposal and its status: https://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2024/05/an-open-letter-to-candidates-in-lok.html
While greeting you all on the International Day of Yoga, the flagship of India’s cultural and soft diplomacy, I take this opportunity to solicit your support for the proposal on International Day of Equality. It exactly fits in the promotional agenda in this regard, to my mind. Moreover, ‘Equality’, with a view to establish, a ‘just and equitable world order’ is the agenda of the UN which India fully supports and rightly so. It is high time for the GOI under the new NDA dispensation to consider and take the proposal to the UN through diplomatic channels. International Day of Equality will not only honour Babasaheb Ambedkar but will also provide a much needed further impetus to the cultural and soft diplomacy of India.
With greetings and all the best for your good health on the International Day of Yoga
