The National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (NISR), Leh, hosted a one-day Samyoga event today with participation from experts across 10 Indian states. The event is part of a series of programs leading up to the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025.
The event began with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony, followed by a Medicine Buddha prayer. Dr. Padma Gurmet, Director of NISR, welcomed the participants and shared an overview of the institute’s efforts to promote yoga and wellness practices rooted in traditional medicine.
Dr. Raghavendra Rao, Director of the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy, New Delhi, served as the Chief Guest. Guests of Honor included Ven. Bhikkhu Sanghasena, Dr. Tashi Thinlas, Director of Health for the Union Territory of Ladakh, and Dr. Satya Lakshmi, Director of the National Institute of Naturopathy, Pune.
The event featured a series of lectures focusing on the scientific benefits of yoga. Speakers included Dr. Amit Kanthi from Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthan, Bangalore; Ms. Nityatara Raina, a yoga therapist from Mumbai; Lt. Col. Rahul Manral from the High Altitude Medical Research Centre, 153 GH, Leh; and Dr. Phuntsog Angchok, President of Arogya Bharti, Ladakh.
Special sessions on Sowa-Rigpa, the traditional Tibetan system of medicine, were led by Dr. (Prof.) Nawang Tangais, Dr. (Prof.) Tsering Thakchoe, and Dr. Pasang Dolma, Associate Professor at NISR, Leh.
This Samyoga event is part of a broader initiative by NISR to celebrate International Yoga Day in collaboration with the Maha Bodhi International Meditation Centre, the Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh, and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh.
Under the theme “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” the campaign emphasizes the role of yoga in promoting not only physical and mental health but also environmental harmony.
