 
SBV Yoga Fest 2016 got off to a colorful start at MGMC&RI on 25 May 2016 with its inauguration by the respected Vice Chancellor of Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth Prof. K R Sethuraman in the presence of the Dean (Research and AHS) Prof. N Ananthakrishnan and Deans of the medical, dental and nursing faculties of the deemed university. More than 250 medical, dental and nursing students as well as faculty members and invited guests are participating in the two day event that has been organized on 25 and 26 May 2016 as  a prelude to the International Day of Yoga to be celebrated worldwide on 21 June 2016.
The Common Yoga Protocol booklet prepared by Ministry of AYUSH was officially handed over by the Vice Chancellor to Prof. AR Srinivasan (Registrar of SBV), Prof. Ravishankar (Dean, MGMC&RI), Prof. Carounanidy Usha (Dean, IGIDS) and Prof. K Renuka (Principal, KGNC).
In his Yoga Fest oration, the Vice-Chancellor expressed the need for health professionals to look towards salutogenesis, an understanding of the internal and external factors that induce health rather than merely mechanically focusing on pathogenesis of disease. “Human beings are flawed as they are always susceptible to disease. Yet, some stay healthy even in the worst of conditions. This is because they have a sense of coherence within themselves, find meaning in their lives and hence are more at ease with their lives” said Prof. KR Sethuraman. Yoga is an ancient system that enables us to create positive environments both within ourselves as well as in the surrounding environment. This harmonious and dynamic balance between the internal and external worlds produces health and well-being and healing starts to occur rather than merely managing with symptomatic cures routinely given out by health professionals.
In his felicitation address, Prof. N Ananthakrishnan, the Dean of Research and Allied Health Sciences in Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth elucidated the steps being taken by Ministry of AYUSH and UGC to facilitate the integration of Yoga and traditional systems of healing in modern medical and paramedical education. Yoga should be part of all courses as it is our gift to the world and has the potential to be an integrative modality of healing working in tandem with modern medicine. SBV has been a forerunner in this integration of the old and the new as for the past six years Yoga therapy and music therapy have been brought into the hospital services for benefits of the patients and post graduate programs are running successfully. He announced that SBV will soon also have doctoral programs in these fields as the Government of India is willing to administratively and financially support international students who wish to do such programs in Indian universities.
Prof AR Srinivasan, Registrar SBV sang a beautiful poetic benediction on the occasion praying for success of the International Day of Yoga worldwide. His heartfelt rendition in the Raga Desh touched everyone and created a sense of deep calm and peace from within.
“Yoga is one of the best lifestyles that enables us to live a happy and healthy life” said Prof. Madanmohan, Director CYTER and Head Department of Physiology in his talk. He explained the traditional and modern aspects of lifestyle and expressed the need for individuals to take up responsibility for their own health and well-being.
Smt. Rama, Senior Student Welfare Officer in the university explained the mind and body connections strengthened by Yoga. She gave an overview of the energy matrix of seven Chakras that power the human being from the bottom of the spine to the top of the head and introduced five important Yoga practices for health and well-being.
Dr. Madhavan, Director, Vivekananda Institute of Yoga Therapy and his team of five young students from Karur gave a spellbinding presentation of advanced Asanas (Yuva yoga). The entire audience was awe struck by the astonishing display of skill by the young demonstrators who bent, turned and twisted their bodies into all sorts of impossible positions by virtue of great practice and agility. Each and every one of the students performed the different postures to near perfection and this enthused the audience who gave them a long ovation at the end of the session.
Earlier the CYTER team gave a detailed presentation of the Common Yoga Protocol being practiced daily at CYTER for mass demonstration on 21 June 2016 at the Pondicherry Beach front. Yogachemmal G Dayanidy, Lecturer CYTER explained the CYP practices while the Yoga instructors Smt. Sarulatha and Sri. Dhanushapnadeesh gave an excellent demonstration of all the techniques.
The final session of the day was on the “Power of Pranayama” by Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, Deputy Director CYTER. This interactive session saw involvement form the entire audience who were led through different Pranayama techniques including Sukha, Chandra Nadi, Surya Nadi and Pranava Pranayama. Everyone enjoyed the releasing technique of “shake and throw” with the Nasarga Mukha Bhastrika thus letting go of all their tensions and stresses in a conscious manner. “Pranayama as a therapy is relatively safe, cost effective and only needs you and your positive self effort to strive for wellness”, said he.
In the afternoon an essay competition was held on “Yoga and salutogenesis” as well as the preliminary round of the Yoga quiz to select finalists for the event on 26 May.
Events on Day-2 of the SBV Yoga fest included Yoga poster competition at 9am, Yoga Quiz at 10am and Yoga cultural from 11.30am at CYTER Yoga hall. The second day of SBV Yoga fest started with a poster competition where the students presented their colourful and meaningful posters depicting concepts of Yoga and wellness, lifestyle, power of Pranayama and Yoga and salutogenesis. The jury members were Prof. Madanmohan, Dr. M Madhavan of Karur and Yogacharini Devasena Bhavanani of ICYER and Yoganjali Natyalayam. In a tough fight featuring 17 competitors P Gowtham of KGNC bagged first prize followed by J John Shibin and A Kamalraj in second and third places.
In the Yoga essay competition, the judges Dr. Vanaja Vaithiyanathan of Jothi Eye Care and Dr. Nalini Srinivasan of Yoganjali Natyalayam had a tough time deciding the winner out of 41 entries as all  submissions were all of an excellent standard. Dr. Arvina R of IGIDS bagged the first prize for her excellent essay on Yoga and salutogenesis while Joanofarc I and Anupriya B bagged second and third prizes respectively.
The Yoga Quiz had 11 teams with three members each entering the event and after two rounds of elimination through MCQ method the top six teams were selected to participate in the final round conducted by Yogachemmal G Dayanidy of CYTER. It was an amazing time as all teams vied for top honours with rapid answers flying fast and clear through the many rounds of questions. The team of V Bharanippriyaa, T Khadija Tamim and Nilofer Kan of IGIDS won the Yoga Quiz beating out all the other five teams by a huge margin. The team from KGNC consisting of M Ari Priya, I Joanofarc and P Rajam came a credible second.
The final event of the day was the Yoga Cultural event and the KGNC team of M Arun Raj, P Barathy and A Malathi won over not only their fellow competitors but also the hearts of the judges and audience with their spectacular performance. Their depiction of the Shiva Tandava with Yogasanas and the subsequent calming down of the strident energies into peaceful co-existence was depicted with grace and artistry. Judges for this event were Yogacharya O Gangadharan of Pondicherry Yogasana Association and Yogacharini Devasena of Yoganjali Natyalayam.
The valedictory function and prize distribution was held from 3 pm and Prof. AR Srinivasan, Registrar of Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth was chief guest. Other dignitaries present on the occasion included Dr. Manonmani Ravichandran, Deputy Registrar (Students) of SBV, Yogacharini Devasena Bhavanani, Dr. Nalini Srinivasan and Dr. Vanaja Vaithiyanathan. Prof. AR Srinivasan expressed his happiness at the wonderful participation from all the students and suggested they develop their Yogic talents further through the multifaceted activities of CYTER including PG courses. Dr. Vanaja Vaithiyanathan narrated the benefits she has felt through the practice of Yoga and expressed her desire that all medical and paramedical students undergo Yoga training to make them better human beings and greater healers. Dr. Madanmohan, Director of CYTER summed up the multiple events conducted during the SBV Yoga Fest and motivated the students to continue their practice of Yoga and  develop a greater understanding of this great art and science of humanity.
The excellent work done by the IDY coordinators of IGIDS and KGNC Dr Karthikeyan and Ms Sangeeta was highly commended by Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani who then proposed a vote of thanks and the two day festival concluded with the Shanti Mantra for world peace.
