Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh today said that Yogasana, rooted in India’s ancient tradition, has the potential to gain recognition as a major international sporting discipline and called upon Indian players to prepare themselves to excel at global championships.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 38th National Yogasana Championship, 2026 and Selection Trial for the 12th World Yogasana Championship, 2027 in Thailand, held at Khuman Lampak Main Indoor Stadium, Imphal. The championship is being organised by the Manipur Yoga Society, Imphal, in collaboration with the All-India Yoga Culture Federation.
Speaking on the significance of India’s ancient knowledge traditions, Khemchand said that Sanskrit, one of the classical languages of India, has attracted interest beyond the country, including in academic and technological circles in Europe. He highlighted the precision of Sanskrit and its distinctive vocabulary, saying that the language’s structure and command over words have drawn attention in the context of advancements in computer science and information technology.
Recalling his association with Yoga, the Chief Minister said that he had been involved in promoting Yoga at the grassroots level since 2014. He recalled that during his time as an organiser in his constituency, Yoga teachers associated with Seva Bharati used to visit different sacred places and teach Yoga to people.
He further said he had also participated in programmes to create awareness about the benefits of Yoga for the body, mind and soul, and stressed that the practice goes beyond physical exercise.
The Chief Minister recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative at the United Nations in 2014 to establish an International Day of Yoga. The UN General Assembly subsequently adopted the resolution on December 11, 2014, with 177 countries co-sponsoring the resolution.
Yumnam Khemchand Singh said that Yoga had since gained a global presence and expressed the view that, in the coming years, Yogasana could become an international Olympic sporting event. He called upon Indian Yogasana players to prepare themselves mentally and physically to compete at the highest international level and bring laurels to the country.
Drawing an analogy with hockey, the Chief Minister said that although hockey has a long association with India, the country has faced challenges in maintaining dominance at the highest level due to inadequate preparation at different times. He stressed the need for Indian Yogasana players to prepare themselves from now on with the aim of performing strongly in global and world championships and, eventually, at the Olympics.
Welcoming participants from different States, the Chief Minister appealed to them to carry a message of peace from Manipur when they return to their respective places. He urged them to convey that Manipur has become peaceful and to contribute to spreading a positive message about the State.
Minister of Home and Youth Affairs & Sports Govindas Konthoujam said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Yoga had gained unprecedented global visibility, with India playing a leading role in taking the ancient tradition to the world stage.
He said Yogasana was not merely a physical discipline but also encouraged discipline, concentration, physical fitness, mental balance, self-control and perseverance, fostering harmony between the body and mind. He encouraged the participants to compete with confidence and in the true spirit of sportsmanship.
The Chief Minister officially opens the championship and also interacted with the participating players and wished them success in the championship and selection trials.
The event is being held from October 2 to 4, 2026, with the selection trial being conducted for the Indian team for the 12th World Yogasana Championship, 2027 in Thailand. The theme of the championship is “Yogasana for Health, Harmony and National Unity.”
MLA Thangjam Arun Kumar Singh; Dr. Basudev Singh, Working President, Organising Committee, 38th National Yogasana Championship and President, Manipur Yoga Society; Babul Bikas Patranabis, President, All India Yoga Culture Federation; Dr. Shrikant Warankar, General Secretary, All India Yoga Culture Federation; Dr. Uttam Ojha, President, All India Divyang Cricket Association; and Ksh. Gopendra Singh, Convener, Organising Committee, participating athletes, officials and other dignitaries were also present in the function.
