Wellpark College Contributes to the National Yogathon

Posted: Monday 14th November 2011

The Hindu Council of New Zealand launched the nationwide ‘Health for Humanity’ Yogathon during August 2011 to create awareness of the 5000 year old discipline of the mind, body and spirit.

The free Yogathon asked Kiwis to collectively perform 100,000 repetitions of the "Surya Namaskar" (Sun Salutation) over a period of 15 days. A repetition of Surya Namaskar consists of a series of yoga postures of well-balanced movements linked with simple breathing technique to provide benefits to both body and mind.

Wellpark College Yoga faculty under the guidance of Dr Pooja Maddela encouraged current students, graduates and community yoga class members nationwide to participate. This resulted in collective practice of more than 13,500 sun salutations and Wellpark College Yoga faculty recognition as New Zealands' leader of yoga  particpants.

Congratulations to Pooja and all of those who participated for their fantastic achievements in the inaugural Nationwide Yogathon, which included more than 50 groups including Yoga studios, dance schools, community and social organisations, gyms/ health clubs, community schools and nearly 1000 individuals nationwide.

“We will widen the scope of Yogathon 2011, and invite schools and hospitals (doctors and district nurses) to participate in this planned annual health initiative. We also aim to take Surya Namaskars to prison inmates,” said Dr Rajiv Chaturvedi, Media and Public Relations Officer, Hindu Council of New Zealand.