The Department of Physiology, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, Sikkim Manipal University celebrated the 9th International Yoga Day on 21st June 2023 along with activities like Walkathon, Yoga Session, Scientific Webinar and Inter-college Debate Competition.
The programme started with lamp lighting ceremony by Registrar SMU Prof. (Dr.) Karma Sonam Sherpa, Dean, SMIMS, Dr Muralidhar V Pai, HOIs, HODs and Heads of offices, SMU.
Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Prof & Head Dept. of Physiology, SMIMS delivered the welcome address. Dean, SMIMS also addressed the gathering. This was followed by the yoga session wherein faculties, students and staff followed the yoga protocol developed by Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India.
Then the Scientific webinar was addressed by eminent speaker, Prof (Dr.) Varun Malhotra, Additional Professor, Department of Physiology, AIIMS Bhopal on the topic “Yoga beyond Mat”.
The webinar was attended by more than 500 students & faculties from all over India and abroad through online platform (approx. 300 participants) and offline mode at the Auditorium, SMIMS (approx. 230 participants). It is also to be mentioned that Sikkim Medical Council (SMC) has also approved credit 03 hours for speakers and 02 hours for participants (SMC/3132/CME/23).
An Inter-College Debate competition was conducted on the topic “Is Yoga a science or religion?”. Students from Nar Bahadur Bhandari Government College (Gangtok), Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (Gangtok), Sikkim Government Law College (Burtuk), SRM University (Gangtok), Sikkim Manipal College of Nursing, Department of Hospital Administration, SMU participated. The judges for the debate competition were Dr. D. Purohit, Principal, Nar Bahadur Bhandari Government College (Gangtok), Dr Keerthilatha M Pai, Controller of Examination, SMU, Dr. Bina Basnett Social activists & Yoga enthusiast and Representative of Prof Champa Sharma, Principal, SMCON and Dr. Sriprakash, Assistant Director in charge Regional Ayurveda Research Institute AYUSH Govt. of India, Gangtok.
The winners of the inter-college debate competition are as follows: The first prize went to Mr Sanjay Rai, Nar Bahadur Bhandari Government College (Gangtok), second prize to Mr Hitesh Gurung, SRM University (Gangtok) and third prize to Dr Kahini Dutta from Department of Hospital Administration, SMU.
The programme ended with vote of thanks delivered by Dr Bibhushan Dhungyal.
