logo
Yoga event gains entry into Malaysia Book of Records

Yoga event gains entry into Malaysia Book of Records

The Sun23-06-2025
SERDANG: The Sakthi School of Yoga held its 11th International Yoga Day (IDY) event on Saturday, that brought together culture, tradition and wellness at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang.
Led by its founder master S.K. Durai, the event attracted 6,098 attendees from Malaysia, India and Singapore – underscoring the growing global resonance of yoga and the expanding international presence of the school.
With a total of 5,368 active participants, the group gained entry into the Malaysia Book of Records for achieving the largest yoga session.
The activities opened with a cultural showcase featuring urumee melam (a traditional Indian folk drum ensemble), mayilattam (peacock dance), karagattam (a folk balancing dance) and a silambam martial arts demonstration.
The yoga session that followed was a multi-generational showcase of spirit and discipline. Children delivered high-energy performances, while senior citizens inspired the crowd with grace and determination.
A key highlight was the Sakthi Kriya session, a spiritual practice led by Durai designed to awaken and channel inner energy.
Among the segments at the event was a pregnancy yoga performance, showcasing strength and emotional resilience.
This was followed by a Ramayana themed presentation, blending classical Indian storytelling with yoga choreography.
Behind the scenes, a 130-member team of teachers and students ensured the event ran smoothly, from registration to stage management, demonstrating unity, coordination and commitment.
'This event has offered not just a platform to showcase skill and dedication but a deeper opportunity to connect with the inner self and with others through the universal path of yoga,' said Durai.
IDY is observed globally on June 21, following a 2014 resolution by the United Nations recognising the role of yoga in promoting physical and mental health.
More than 1,200 participants gathered at Batu Caves for a parallel IDY event the same day.
According to Bernama, it was jointly organised by the High Commission of India and the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre, in collaboration with several Malaysian partner organisations. It was held under the global theme 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health'.
'There is growing popularity of yoga in Malaysia across the age groups and its wider integration into wellness, physical as well as mental health programmes,' said High Commissioner of India to Malaysia B.N. Reddy in a statement.
The event was also attended by Youth and Sports Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr K. Nagulendran.
Trained instructors led a 40-minute yoga session based on the Common Yoga Protocol, that included a demonstration of yoga asanas (postures).
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Meet the activist who fought for Sierra Leone's first World Heritage site
Meet the activist who fought for Sierra Leone's first World Heritage site

The Star

timea day ago

  • The Star

Meet the activist who fought for Sierra Leone's first World Heritage site

Activist Tommy Garnett's decades of work paid off when Sierra Leone's Tiwai island – a lush forest home to one of the world's highest concentrations of primates – landed a spot last month on the United Nations cultural agency's World Heritage list. The 66-year-old and the conservation group he founded are the reason Tiwai, which was nearly destroyed during Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 civil war, still exists. "I feel very happy, relieved, hopeful," the environmentalist said from the verdant island. The Gola-Tiwai complex, which also includes the nearby Gola Rainforest National Park, will be Sierra Leone's first Unesco site. Unesco director general Audrey Azoulay called Gola-Tiwai "a jewel of biodiversity, a sanctuary for rare species and a model of community management." The wildlife and fauna in the two areas have been imperilled for years by threats such as deforestation. A fisherman punts a pirogue using a push pole on the Moa River near Tiwai Island. Together with his NGO, Garnett has restored the environmental integrity of the Gola-Tiwai complex, which was nearly destroyed. Tiwai island, located in the Moa river, measures just 12 square kilometres (4.5 square miles) and has 11 species of primates – including the endangered western chimpanzee, the king colobus monkey and the Diana monkey. In 1992, Garnett, who has dedicated his life to environmental projects in west Africa, created the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA). In the early 2000s, he started working to save Tiwai. Today, the wildlife sanctuary is a gleaming success story for Sierra Leone. Even as the country descended into civil war or was ravaged by Ebola in 2014, Garnett was able to stave off deforestation, poaching and other threats. Garnett at the entrance of Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary located on Tiwai Island. He has dedicated his life to environmental protection projects in West Africa, especially in Sierra Leone and Liberia. — Photos: SAIDU BAH/AFP Raising the alarm As well its primates, Tiwai has animals such as the pygmy hippopotamus and the critically endangered African forest elephant. While Gola is the largest expanse of tropical rainforest in Sierra Leone, Tiwai, located to the south, serves as a centre for biodiversity research and a destination for ecotourism. In order to achieve this for Tiwai, EFA had to convince local communities to abandon certain activities to protect the forest. The tourism revenue in turn helps provide jobs, training and technical agricultural assistance. During the civil war, the island's wildlife was almost decimated, but Garnett, his NGO and donors brought it back from the brink. The centre's structures had become dilapidated, the ground covered in empty rifle cartridges and people began logging trees, Garnett said. "We raised the alarm that this place was going," he said. The environmentalist quickly found funding for reconstruction and raising awareness among local communities. An aerial view of Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary on Tiwai Island. Last month, this complex became a World Heritage Site. Country is grateful Since then, Garnett and his group have safeguarded the haven despite an onslaught of Ebola, Covid-19 and disastrous weather. "Our lives and livelihoods and cultures and traditions are so inextricably linked to the forest that if the forest dies, a big part of us dies with it," he said. An avid cyclist and yoga enthusiast, Garnett's warm, welcoming approach has easily won him allies. "One of my first experiences in life was having a forest as backyard and recognizing the richness of it," he said. Garnett was born in 1959 in the rural district of Kono in the country's east, and lived there until age 18. After studying agriculture and development economics abroad, he returned home in the 1990s to reconnect with his family and help Sierra Leone during the war. The Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Sierra Leone. He began working in environmental protection after witnessing the conflict's destruction and its reliance on mineral resources and mining, particularly diamonds. For 30 years, he and foundation colleagues have travelled the country confronting traffickers and conducting community meetings. Over the past 20 years, EFA has planted more than two million trees in deforested areas across Sierra Leone, Garnett said, including 500,000 between 2020 and 2023. The country's environment minister, Jiwoh Abdulai said he was "really excited and thrilled" about Unesco's decision, adding that Garnett gave him a lot of "hope and optimism". His contributions preserving nature are something "that the entire country is grateful for", he said. – AFP

Thriving at 60: Living fully and beyond
Thriving at 60: Living fully and beyond

The Sun

timea day ago

  • The Sun

Thriving at 60: Living fully and beyond

THE feeling is one mixed with exuberance and exhilaration. A sudden sense of achievement washed over me like the fresh rays of the morning sun, unadulterated and real. Entering the seventh decade of my existence, I welcomed it with profound joy. This is not just another birthday; it is the year I can scream with complete abundance that I have made it this far in life. Life has not been a bed of roses but as you live it, life possesses a unique way of showing, telling and teaching you lessons you simply could not have acquired otherwise. Someone once asked if I would take back five years of my life. The answer was, is and always will be a resounding no! I have lived deeply, messily and fully, and now, it is about consciously finishing this cycle of birth with intention and grace. In many corners of the world, sixty whispers of endings. In some Indian communities, sexagenarians can feel sidelined, considered 'over and done with', a sentiment often amplified for women. Once a woman crosses into her fifties and sixties, archaic narratives shrink her world where it is relegated to babysitting grandchildren, tending to an ageing husband or caring for in-laws. While these too are important, her own vibrant existence, desires and potential seem to fade into the background of others' needs. Thankfully, such rigid, dusty thoughts are transforming. I now witness remarkable men and women in this era, vibrant in their seventh decade and beyond, boldly seeking new partners if life has made them single, pursuing passions, launching ventures or simply rediscovering themselves. While societal permission may come easier for men exploiting this terrain, it is often a steeper climb for women. Decades of prioritising family, of physical and emotional toil, can leave their bodies feeling like they are starting to cave in, with whispering aches where youthful energy once roared. The cumulative weight of care-giving, often shouldered silently, leaves its mark. Yet, there are superb exceptions and radiant testaments to a different possibility. Those who consciously nurture the essential factors contributing to holistic wellness often age not just gracefully but powerfully. They retain an undeniable magnetism, an inner light that makes them truly attractive and appealing, far beyond superficial standards. But are looks all that matters? To some extent, yes, we cannot entirely dismiss the reality of first impressions – that ingrained cliche. Feeling good in our own skin, projecting vitality, matters for confidence and how we engage with the world. For myself, keeping fit and eating right have always been non-negotiable pillars, foundational to my physical wellness. This is basic. Then comes psychological wellness, the intricate landscape of mental health, clarity and cognitive agility. Interwoven with this is emotional wellness, our capacity to effectively deal with the complex tides of feeling, to regulate our inner storms and harness our thinking and problem-solving skills with resilience. As the years accumulate, another dimension blossoms in importance: social wellness. This becomes a vital focal point for connection, belonging and shared joy. Giving and receiving care within a circle of family, friends and community is what makes life rich and meaningful as they thrive, with a tangible increase in life expectancy and, more crucially, life satisfaction. Laughter shared, burdens halved, experiences multiplied – this connection is oxygen for the spirit. But underpinning all these pillars – physical, psychological, emotional and social – is the element we most frequently and dangerously, overlook, especially as we cross the threshold of sixty: self-care. Self-care is far more than an occasional bubble bath or a guilty pleasure (though those can be lovely parts of it!). At its core, self-care is the conscious, consistent and compassionate practice of attending to our own fundamental needs – physical, mental, emotional, social and even spiritual. It is the radical act of prioritising our well-being, not as an afterthought, but as the essential fuel that allows us to function, contribute, love and live fully. It is recognising that we are not bottomless wells and that we are vessels that need constant and kind replenishment. For those of us sixty and above, self-care shifts from a luxury into a non-negotiable strategy for sustainable and vibrant living. It becomes the key to completing this 'cycle of birth', not just with endurance, but with flourishing. Self-care is not selfish; it is the basis of self-preservation and sustained contribution. It is the daily practice that allows us to stand tall in this seventh decade, radiating the hard-won confidence that comes from truly living. It empowers us to defy the stereotypes, to embrace the exuberance and exhilaration of having made it this far and to continue crafting a life of depth, connection and unapologetic vitality. It is how we ensure that finishing this cycle is done not with a whimper but with a resounding and joyful affirmation of a life fiercely and lovingly lived. This is the essence of thriving at sixty and beyond. And, nobody decides my 'expiry date', not in a literal or metaphorical sense. My life as a story continues and I decide when it peaks or concludes. Dr Bhavani Krishna Iyer holds a doctorate in English literature. Her professional background encompasses teaching, journalism and public relations. She is currently pursuing a second master's degree in counselling. Comments: letters@

‘Heartbreaking': Bear in India refuses to abandon dying cub struck by speeding car
‘Heartbreaking': Bear in India refuses to abandon dying cub struck by speeding car

The Star

timea day ago

  • The Star

‘Heartbreaking': Bear in India refuses to abandon dying cub struck by speeding car

In video footage posted online, a bear can be seen dragging her cub, which had been struck by a speeding car, by the side of the road and tending to it for about an hour. -- PHOTOS: INDIANWILDANIMALS/INSTAGRAM NEW DELHI (The Straits Times/ANN): A mother's love knows no bounds, and it is no different for bear mums. In video footage posted on social media site Instagram and widely circulated by thousands of heartbroken animal lovers, an Asiatic black bear is seen dragging her cub to the side of the road in India's Madhya Pradesh state. The cub was struck by a speeding car, as its mother – with her cubs in tow – was crossing the road. For about an hour, the bear can be seen trying to will her cub to live, even as the cub is in its death throes. Another cub is clinging onto the mother's back as she paces the road. Mother bear first sits beside her dying cub, then stands over her – growling, groaning, and even appearing to cry and beg for help. Reports said there was a third cub with her, but it was out of view of the camera. Forest rangers eventually arrived, and guided the bear and her surviving cubs back to the forest. They tried to revive the injured cub, but its injuries proved fatal. The incident happened on Aug 6, and a video of it – viewed over 330,000 times – was posted by Indian Wild Animals on its Instagram page on Aug 9. The Times of India reported that the driver responsible for knocking down the cub had yet to be identified. Viewers overwhelmingly described the scene as 'heartbreaking'. 'Heartbreaking. Humans are beyond saving,' said one comment. Another said: 'Humans are the only curse that exists on this planet.' 'We've really failed them. We're supposed to protect them,' another comment said. Several people criticised the Indian government for failing to take into account wildlife habitation when building roads and railways. In a similar incident in May, an elephant was seen in a video trying to push a lorry that had hit her five-year-old calf on the road in the Malaysian state of Perak. The calf was said to have darted suddenly onto the road, and was hit by and pinned beneath the lorry. It later died. Its mother refused to leave, and at one point, became agitated and violent, and rammed the lorry with her head. She had to be tranquilised and moved to a safer place. - The Straits Times/ANN

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store