Yoga is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition. The word "Yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj meaning "to join", "to yoke" or "to unite", symbolizing the unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment.
It represents a holistic approach to health and well-being. Yoga is known for disease prevention, health promotion and management of many life style related disorders. Recognizing its universal appeal, on 11th December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution (resolution 69/131) proclaiming 21st June as the International Day of Yoga (IDY).
Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, on the second International Day of Yoga announced two Yoga awards – one International and other National. The purpose of the Award is to recognize and felicitate individual(s)/ organization(s) who have made significant impact on the society for a sustained period of time by way of promotion and development of Yoga.
The awards are being given away each year for exemplary contribution in the field of Yoga towards the development and promotion of Yoga. The award would be given annually on the occasion of “International Day of Yoga (IDY)” (21st June). 21st June has been declared as IDY, commonly referred to as Yoga Day, by the United Nations General Assembly.
In order to ensure that proponents who are making excellent contribution to Yoga are honoured, the Prime Minister of India, on the occasion of International Day of Yoga in 2016, had announced awards for promotion and development of Yoga.
The awards would be given in two categories — National and International. The awards would be given to entities with impeccable track record and outstanding contribution in the promotion and development of Yoga. In a particular year, the Jury may decide to give awards to one or more individuals/organizations or to none. An entity which has received award once may not be considered again for conferring award in the same category.
National: The two National Awards will be given to entities of Indian origin, for their contribution towards promotion and development of Yoga.
International:: The two International Awards will be given to entities of Indian or foreign origin, for their contribution towards promotion and development of Yoga across the Globe.
An application, complete in all respects, can be made by the applicant directly or they may be nominated by a prominent yoga organization for consideration under this Award process.
The application is open to all entities that meet the eligibility criteria mentioned in section 4 of these guidelines.
The applications/ nominations can be submitted through an e-mail (e-mail Id: ajj.kennedy35@gov.in) with an attachment of the form which is downloadable online or collectable from the Ministry. The form may also be submitted with the Ministry over the counter or through post at the following address:
Ministry of AYUSH
AYUSH Bhawan, B Block, GPO Complex,
INA, New Delhi – 110023
An applicant can nominate/ can be nominated for only one award category that is either the National Award or the International Award, in a particular year.
The intent of the awards is to recognize entities who have made significant and outstanding contribution towards the promotion and development of Yoga.
In this regard, the applicants/nominees for these awards should have a rich experience in and deep understanding of Yoga.
A screening of all the applications/ nominations received will be done by a Screening Committee which shall be constituted every year by Ministry of AYUSH.
The Evaluation Committee (Jury) shall comprise of 7 members including a Chairperson. The Jury shall have eminent personalities from different walks of life, which shall be nominated by Ministry of AYUSH every year. The Jury will consider the names suggested by the Screening Committee. It may also nominate suitable candidates on its own.
The Evaluation Committee (Jury) shall consist of 7 official members as follows:
# | Term | Description |
---|---|---|
1 | Awards | This means the Prime Minister’s Award for Outstanding Contribution for Promotion and Development of Yoga at National Level and International level |
2 | Nomenclature | This refers to the name of the awards |
3 | Entity | This refers to Individual, Organizations, Institutions, Companies, Non-Governmental Organizations, Groups etc. |
4 | Jury | This refers to the evaluation committee which would decide on the award from the list of screened entities |
5 | Nomination | This refers to the name of an entity being proposed for the award |
6 | Clarification | This refers to an explanation required by the Ministry of AYUSH on any documents submitted by entities |
Last Update:- 20-05-2019